


Notwen

by AMidnightDreary



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Aftercare, Alternate Universe - BDSM, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Attraction, Avenger Loki (Marvel), Banter, Blindfolds, Blow Jobs, Body Worship, Collars, Comfort, Coming Untouched, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dirty Talk, Dom Loki (Marvel), Domestic, Domestic Avengers, Dorks in Love, Face Slapping, Fights, Flirting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Good Loki (Marvel), Hair-pulling, Hand & Finger Kink, Happy Ending, Impact Play, Insecure Tony Stark, Kneeling, Knifeplay, Leashes, Light Angst, Light Bondage, Love Confessions, M/M, Mild Blood, Mirror Sex, Nightmares, Orgasm Control, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Panic Attacks, Pining, Possessive Behavior, Praise Kink, Protective Loki (Marvel), Relationship Negotiation, Rimming, Rough Sex, Scarification, Service Submission, Service Top Tony Stark, Sex Toys, Sub Tony Stark, Subspace, Sweet Loki (Marvel), Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Gets a Hug, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Topping from the Bottom, Trust Issues, Trust Kink, Warning: Loki (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:15:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 50,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23933686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AMidnightDreary/pseuds/AMidnightDreary
Summary: The first time Tony thinks - absently and vaguely - that he would like to feel Loki's hands on him, it catches him by surprise.
Relationships: Loki/Tony Stark
Comments: 386
Kudos: 1239





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically the counterpart to my Newton series (hence the weird name). I wrote it ages ago and I think I had more plans for it? But well, I forgot, so. Have this and enjoy.❤

_Well, fuck me gently with a chainsaw,_ Tony thinks numbly. _The guy’s a dom._

He isn’t alone with that realization. Everybody who was waiting on the roof of the tower thinks that, although they probably don’t use a quote from an almost thirty year old teen movie to express their astonishment.

It’s too quiet on the roof, for a while. There’s the rushing of wind and the sound of the traffic from deep beneath them, but the silence between them stretches long and awkward. Thor, who still has a hand on his brother’s arm, looks extraordinarily confused, and Loki - well. 

When they appeared just two minutes ago, Loki wore an expression of boredom, dyed with just a hint of mockery. But now his eyes are narrowed, the look in them icy. He’s still calm, all in all, but it’s clear that he has figured out that something’s up. _Relaxed_ looks different.

It’s Rogers who breaks the silence, in the end.

“Tony,” he says, quietly. “Would you like to wait -”

“Yeah, no,” Tony interrupts, because he is definitely not having any of that shit right now. “You can stop right there, Rogers.”

The Captain gives him a slightly exasperated, but not very surprised look, which earns him a lopsided grin that is just entirely insincere. Tony takes a step forward, yanking his eyes away from Loki to look at Thor.

“Hey, Thunderpants. You’re kinda late, but I’ll let it pass. So, I suggest that you go downstairs with our dear friends from SHIELD and deliver some much needed explanations, eh? Meanwhile I’ll show your baby brother where he’ll be sleeping for the next few years.”

Great, now everybody is staring at him as if he said something particularly crazy. Tony is just glad that Fury isn’t here, because he would make everything much more complicated. Maria Hill, however, simply raises a brow at him, and when he nods she lifts a shoulder - not an enthusiastic yes, but it will do - and that’s it.

Romanoff and Barton don’t look very pleased with this outcome, but well, they can fucking deal. Rogers, too, and if he does so much as _breathe_ one more patronizing word into Tony’s direction, Tony will blast him right back into the ice he came from.

Thankfully, Steve stays silent. Everybody stays silent, really, and not long after Tony and Loki are alone in an elevator, which makes Tony feel just a tiny bit nervous. He doesn’t let it show - he’s had decades of practice - and leans against the railing, his arms crossed and eyes fixed on Loki. The god watches him in return, his face blank, and Tony wonders if Loki even knows what’s up.

It’s even more noticeable from up close. Unmistakable, really - Tony can tell by the way Loki holds himself, by the way his eyes flicker around subtly and take in _everything._ But there are also other clues, some of which aren’t easily described. It’s more a matter of just sensing how it is, or maybe of instincts, but either way, Tony _knows._ He has always been very good at this; always had to be very good at this. By now he can smell a dom from five miles against the wind, only that it isn’t about smelling at all.

“Do I get my own floor?” Loki asks two seconds after the elevator started, his voice quiet and smooth. Maybe a little amused, even.

“Yes,” Tony answers. “That was part of the deal, wasn't it?"

Loki acknowledges that by inclining his head, but he doesn’t say anything. His eyes are still on Tony, never once moving away from him. Tony feels the hairs on his neck stand on end. He wonders how he didn’t notice this during the invasion, wonders how _nobody_ noticed. Hell, Tony even talked to Loki in his own penthouse, and even though Loki spent the whole battle being as cocky as he could even be, it wasn’t a show of dominance that affected Tony in any way. Loki could have told him to kneel and Tony would just have raised a brow, probably he would have been _insulted._ And, fine, Tony wouldn’t immediately drop to his knees now, either, but at least now he’s aware that there is a dom very close to him, and he did let Loki enter the elevator first without even looking at him. (Small acts of politeness, of _service._ First clues that a kid might become a sub, later on.)

It’s weird. It shouldn’t be possible - you don’t just stop being a dom for a few days just so you can invade a planet. Maybe Loki is a switch, but even then he would have had all subs in New York wrapped around his little finger during the invasion, and it certainly wouldn’t have been fear that made the people in Stuttgart kneel.

No, Loki isn’t a switch; or at least Tony doesn’t think he is. It's been almost two years since the battle - what makes the most sense is that Loki just wasn’t in his right mind when he came to fuck them up, and that he just managed to get his shit together while they decided what to do with him up in God Land. Which is basically what Thor claims is true, anyway.

The elevator stops, and Loki saunters out of it as soon as the doors open, as if the place belongs to him. Tony follows him with a roll of his eyes, then watches while Loki considers his new apartment. It’s just like the other floors in the tower that are meant to accomodate people - a living room and a kitchen, a bedroom with an en suite, lots of light and a spectacular view. 

“Is this to your satisfaction?” Tony drawls, barely resisting to add a _sir_ just to be especially rude. For most doms, insincere displays of respect are a red rag. Tony isn’t sure how Loki would react; maybe he would even take it seriously. Better not to take any risks. A possibly still mental god thinking that Tony wants to submit to him is the last thing he needs right now.

Loki turns back to him with a raised brow, which tells Tony that his feigned courtesy didn’t go unnoticed. “It will do,” Loki says smoothly. “Thank you.”

Ah. Well, that’s feigned gratitude right there, isn’t it? Two can play this game, apparently. 

Tony smirks at the god. “I’m glad. So, a few rules - you can move freely in the tower, which means that you can lurk around the community floor and the gym as you please, but when I catch you trying to get into any part of the tower that’s reserved for Stark Industries, you won’t like the consequences. Clear?”

Loki’s other brow joins the first; he didn't expect that. Of course he didn't, a sub telling them what to do would make most doms first speechless, then angry. 

Loki doesn’t seem angry, though, just amused. “Clear,” he echoes, in a tone that says that yes, he understood, but no, he doesn’t really care.

“Great,” Tony says dryly. “JARVIS will make sure that your kitchen’s always stocked. If you have any special wishes - be it food or clothes or whatever -, tell him and he’ll take care of it.”

“JARVIS?” Loki repeats, frowning slightly.

“Yeah. Say hi, J.”

 _“Hi,”_ the AI says dutifully. _“Welcome at Stark Tower, sir.”_ He pauses, then, _“I’m sorry, but I am not entirely sure how to call you. Is it Odinson?”_

For the first time, Loki seems actually pissed. He scowls at the ceiling. “No, it is not. I’ll go by Liesmith, if you’d be so kind.”

_“Of course, Mr. Liesmith.”_

“Good choice,” Tony says. “Makes you seem very trustworthy. Okay, apart from that, there’s not much else to say. If there’s a mission or a meeting or anything like that, JARVIS will tell you, and then you better get your ass up and join the fun, because otherwise you’re back in your cell in Oz faster than you can say ‘Kansas’.”

Loki looks at him as if he wonders if Tony has lost his mind. Tony is used to that.

“Any questions?” he asks, smiling at Loki brightly.

“No,” Loki says. “You may go.”

Okay, yes, that does irk Tony a bit, but it’s not like he isn’t used to that, too. He simply rolls his eyes and turns to leave, letting Loki think that Tony was just waiting for the permission to leave.

It’s not like what Loki thinks really matters, anyway.

x

Weeks pass. At the beginning it’s a little weird, because Tony is all too aware that there is someone new living in his tower, someone who is on their side only because he considers it to be the best of the very few options he has. That Loki is a dom doesn’t really help. Thor, even though he already knew about how these things work on Earth, was nonplussed when he learned that, apparently, things seemed to work pretty much the same way for his brother. The whole _adopted_ thing has an entirely new meaning now.

Maybe Tony wouldn’t have agreed to this if he had known that Loki is a dom, but now it’s just too late to disagree. It will just be for a few years, anyway, and if he’s honest he expected it to be worse. Loki doesn’t leave his rooms except when there is a mission or to train in the gym, where he is every morning. The others in the tower learned that quickly, and by now they just let Loki have those two hours before sunrise.

Loki doesn’t talk much. He is quiet on missions, only speaks up when he has something important to say or to snarl at his brother - or to respond to Tony’s snark with some of his own, sometimes. He is also very, _very_ effective. Tony has never seen anybody wield knives like Loki does.

And that’s exactly where the problems start.

x

The first time Tony thinks - absently and vaguely - that he would like to feel Loki's hands on him, it catches him by surprise. Not because it's unexpected, because it really isn't. Loki is hot as hell and also clever, and most of all he's competent. He knows what he is doing and he's arrogant about it, too, and somehow that ticks all of Tony's boxes. That Loki is (was) a bad guy doesn't really matter, because he _is_ on their side now, no matter the circumstances, and apart from that Tony has the habit of being attracted to people he shouldn't be attracted to, and he's long given up resisting that.

They are sitting in the conference room on the community floor, but Tony has stopped listening a while ago. There was a battle earlier today, and now Loki is explaining how the Enchantress' spells work, and he does that by drawing elaborate patterns on a piece of paper. Tony hasn't thought about that yet, so he has no idea what the patterns are supposed to explain, and honestly he doesn't even care right now. He's busy staring at Loki's hands.

The fact that the thought he's having exists isn't surprising, but the intensity of it is. Tony hasn't been with a dom since before Afghanistan, and until now he thought that he would never _want_ to be with one again. (Well, he and Pepper did play a bit now and then, but that never worked well.) His priorities shifted and by now he's just too much of a mess. Too obsessive, too manic, too paranoid. He probably isn't even able to go under anymore, and what kind of dom would want a sub like that?

Still, the thought keeps, well, _existing,_ and Loki's hands are entirely to blame for it.

Pale and long-fingered, and clever. They look strong, too, and Tony knows that they _are_ strong. He knows what they look like wrapped around the handle of a dagger, or glowing green and golden. Now Tony thinks that he would like to have one of them on the back of his neck, pressing him down into a bed.

Huh.

Loki stops drawing, and he also stops talking. It makes Tony blink and realize that he should really concentrate on things that don't make him need a very cold shower very soon, so he looks at the patterns Loki drew, frowning.

"Look, I'm sure this is supposed to explain something," Clint says. "But I don't get it."

"That might be because you are daft," Loki tells him kindly. "This is really not -"

"Codes," Tony interrupts, leaning forward to take a closer look. "Looks like codes, like a program. There are -" He reaches out for the pencil and points at a few spots on the paper. "Weaknesses. Here, here and here."

He looks up to meet Loki's eyes, and finds the god watching him, surprise clear on his face.

"Yes," Loki says after a second, and now there's a smirk tugging at his lips. "Very good."

Tony grins at him. "So you know how to find them, obviously. Do you also know how to exploit them?"

"Naturally."

"How?" somebody else asks; who it is isn't important.

What is important is how annoyed by the interruption Loki seems to be, and how reluctantly he yanks his eyes away from Tony to answer the question.

x

A few days later, the Enchantress has moved into a cell up in Asgard, and Tony asks Loki if he wants a drink.

It's not like he planned to ask. And it's not like he doesn't know that he shouldn't ask. But, well, Tony only has a brain-to-mouth filter in theory, and he spent all day looking at Loki and his fucking hands, and there is only so much he can stand.

They had the post-battle meeting in the med bay of the tower because Clint managed to break his arm, but Tony left as soon as he saw that Loki was leaving, and now they are standing in a mostly empty hallway, the voices of the team still in the background.

"I beg your pardon?" Loki says, and he sounds so absolutely dumbfounded that Tony has to laugh.

"A drink," he repeats. "Up in the penthouse. I owe you one."

Loki's face goes on a literal rollercoaster of emotions, and when it finally settles on slightly wary but not uninterested, Tony is grinning.

"Yes," Loki says finally. "I suppose you do."

"Right. Let me take a shower first, though. I'll meet you upstairs?"

Loki nods. "Yes. Take your time."

Tony flashes a last grin at him before he flees into the elevator, where he takes a few seconds to get adjusted to insanity, because obviously he’s lost his mind completely now.

x

Loki looks entirely out of place, sitting at Tony’s bar in loose pants and some kind of tunic and looking around the penthouse with vague interest. He seems more relaxed than Tony has ever seen him and somehow that’s a little weird, because Loki is not exactly the most social person. Tony expected him to be tense and also an asshole for at least the first few drinks.

“I guess you’re not the beer type,” Tony said, trying to go for ‘light and cheery’ instead of ‘confused and possibly suicidal’. Really, inviting Loki for a drink, what was he even _thinking?_

Nothing. He was thinking nothing, because he wasn’t thinking at all. Damn his genius brain for stopping to work exactly then when its services are needed the most. 

“No,” Loki says, having the absolute _gall_ to sound amused. “Not really.”

“Whiskey or wine?”

“Wine. Red, if you have it.”

“What do you think I am, some kind of amateur?” Tony chooses a bottle and opens it, scoffing. “I’ve got some red wines here that are twice as old as me.”

He pours Loki a glass and places it in front of him. Loki is smirking by now, and he seems rather pleased when he takes a closer look at the bottle.

“One of your best drinks then, isn’t it? Should I be flattered?”

“Yes, sure” Tony says, resting his arms on the bar. “Be flattered.”

“Do you not want any?”

Tony stares at him. “What?”

Loki’s amusement seems to grow with every second that passes. “Wine, Stark. Do you not want any?”

Tony keeps staring at him. Did he really forget to pour himself a drink? Apparently, yes. _Shit._

“Drinking this alone would be a waste of an excellent wine,” Loki added. “So how about a second glass, hm?”

So, Tony usually isn’t much of a wine drinker, but Loki is sort of right, and also having a glass too makes it easier to ignore that he basically opened the best and most expensive wine bottle he owns just for Loki, who hadn’t even asked anything of him except a “red wine, if you have it”. _Shit,_ again.

Anyway, he’s already procured a second glass and given it to Loki, and Loki fills it with wine in a way that’s much more elegant than it has any right to be, which may or may not be a biased opinion founded on Tony’s obsession with Loki’s hands.

Tony doesn’t thank him. This is still his own wine, for fuck’s sake.

He sits down next to Loki on a bar stool, because that makes him feel a bit more like they are on eye-level, and watches as Loki takes a first sip of the wine.

“This is very nice,” Loki says, his voice unusually warm.

Tony tries not to be pleased by how pleased Loki is. “Duh. ‘Course it is. You won’t find a drink in this tower that isn’t _very nice._ ”

“There is a vending machine on the eighteenth floor,” Loki says thoughtfully. “I heard it only spat out Jicama juice last week.”

“You heard, huh?”

“Yes.”

“You didn’t have anything to do with it.”

“Of course not,” Loki says, and to match his innocent tone he widens his eyes. “Why would I do something like that?”

Tony snorts a laugh - yeah, scratch that, Loki's definitely an asshole - and finally takes his glass. The wine really is very good. “I mean, I’m not gonna lie - I watched the security footage, the faces were the funniest thing I’d seen all week.”

“Oh?” Loki grins; a sharp and pleased thing that would be very good at making Tony shiver if he let it. “I would like to see that footage, I think.”

So Tony has JARVIS pull up a screen, and they spend the next hour laughing about the weird faces people make when they involuntarily try Jicama juice for the first time in their lives. In between laughing, conversation flows easily - they are both good talkers, after all, and they do have a few things in common. (Mainly sass and sarcasm, but that still counts, right?) 

In the end, Loki stays for about three hours, and the wine bottle is empty when he leaves.

x

Tony didn’t actually want it to turn into a reoccurring thing. Or well, scratch that, what he wants and doesn’t want shouldn’t be a part of the equation, this is about what he _planned._ He didn’t actually plan on it becoming a reoccurring thing. Then again, he didn’t really plan it all, and he didn’t really tell himself that it _couldn’t_ happen again, either. And, anyway, what is he supposed to do when Loki shows up in the penthouse one evening, with a bottle of some sort of elvish (???) drink and a smile on his face that’s far too charming for anyone’s good? Turn him away?

Yeah, right.

So it happens again, and then a few nights later it happens again, and after a few weeks Loki knows where the bathroom is and where to find cups and tea bags in Tony’s kitchen. Tony isn’t sure how that happened, and he isn’t sure if he likes it, but now this is a thing they just do, and they will keep doing it because it’s much too nice to stop doing it.

The problem is this: they’re both a bit lonely, although they would never admit it, and also this is very easy. It’s easy and surprisingly comfortable and also - well, it’s just _fun._ Tony can’t remember the last time he really enjoyed talking to somebody, because even with Rhodey and Pepper it feels sometimes like they don’t really understand what the other is saying.

Loki understands Tony when he isn’t even saying anything.

“I didn’t think you would ask me,” he says one evening - or one night, really; the sun sunk hours ago.

Tony only reluctantly opens his eyes. They are sitting on the sofa, and apparently he is now comfortable enough in Loki’s company to almost fall asleep. (But don’t read too much into that; he hasn’t slept properly in like three days now.)

“I didn’t ask you anything,” he says around a yawn. “Or did I?”

“Not now,” Loki says. He has claimed the corner of the sofa for himself, and he sits there cross-legged and barefooted, as if he belongs there. “I didn’t think you would ever offer me a drink.” He looks down at his glass, tracing its rim with his fingertip. Tony realizes it’s empty. “And ask me to come here.”

“More wine?” Tony asks.

Loki smiles and places his glass on the sofa table. Tony takes it and brings it back to the bar for a refill. He isn't sure what to think about Loki's words, and the more he does think about them, the weirder they seem. Well, not _weird_ weird, just - _possibly a reason to be nervous_ weird.

“I didn't think I would, either,” he says as he brings the full glass back to the sofa.

Loki raises a brow.

“Offer you a drink,” Tony says, doing just that, “and ask you to come here.”

Loki takes the glass, but his gaze follows Tony when he sits down again. “It did take you a long time.”

“Did it?”

“Please. You've been watching me for months.”

“You've been watching me for months,” Tony shoots back. “You could've asked, too, you know.”

“I could have,” Loki agrees, swirling the wind around in the glass. “But I enjoy watching you. Especially when you are watching me.”

Tony huffs, but otherwise stays silent. He grabs his own drink - scotch, this time - and avoids Loki's eyes. This is flirting, right? Which. Uh. It's fine? He guesses it's fine. It's _normal,_ sort of, because they've been flirting pretty much since the first time they talked and didn't stop doing so when drinks and movies came into the picture. And usually Tony enjoys it, he enjoys it a _lot,_ but where Loki is going with this also freaks him out.

“You enjoy watching me,” Loki continues, unfairly calm. “My hands in particular, I think. You also enjoy serving me drinks and dinner, and letting me choose the movie. You enjoy making sure that I have everything I want. You like it when I -”

“Yes, alright, I get it,” Tony snaps. “No need to spell it out like that, jesus.”

Loki blinks, and then he frowns. He doesn't look away, but soon Tony does. He shifts on the sofa, not sure what to do with himself, and stares into his glass.

“Forgive me,” Loki says eventually, his tone hesitant. “I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable.”

Tony clenches his teeth. “Why is this such a big deal all of a sudden? You never even -”

He cuts himself off, because he doesn't even really know what to say. It's not like he's been waiting for Loki to make a move or anything, but well. It's also not like he _hasn't_ been waiting for Loki to make a move.

“You _are_ a submissive, aren't you?” Loki asks, still careful.

Tony glares at him. “Yeah, so what? That doesn't mean you can just - have me.”

“Of course not,” Loki says at once. He seems very tense now and he's watching Tony so closely that it gives him fucking goosebumps. “I merely thought you might... like me to. If I misinterpreted -”

“Fuck, no,” Tony says. He sets his glass aside and rubs his eyes, feeling exhausted and keyed up all at once. “No, you didn't. I -”

He stops himself again.

“Yes?” Loki prompts after a moment.

“I just - I'm really not - you know. Good at this.”

Suddenly, Loki just seems confused. “I'm sorry?”

Tony takes his glass again and stands up. It's still his first drink tonight; lately he's found that he doesn't like being drunk in Loki's presence. (Not because he's not comfortable, but because he's _too_ comfortable. Also he doesn't want to miss anything.) He goes to refill it even though it's still half full just to have something to do, and maybe to bring a bit of distance between himself and Loki. They've been hanging around enough that Tony has gotten at least somewhat used to Loki's, well, his _dom-ness_ , but it still sets him on edge sometimes. He knows that Loki will not accept this without an explanation - oh, sure, maybe he would never mention again if Tony asked him to, but he wouldn't stop _thinking_ about it and trying to figure it out, and that would just ruin everything. This will ruin everything too, though. Things like this never end well when Tony tries them.

“If you want a sub," he says, feeling a little safer standing behind the bar, “you should go and find somebody else. I'm sure people would throw themselves at you, you just have to -”

“I see no reason to let them,” Loki replies. Then, “Come here, please.”

It's not an order. Not because there is a _please,_ but because of the tone Loki uses - polite and unassuming, almost questioning. It still makes Tony swallow thickly. He leaves his glass on the bar and returns to the sofa, sitting down on it heavily.

“Contrary to popular belief, I can’t read minds,” Loki says after a moment. “So if you would be so kind to tell me what you are thinking, I'd be very thankful.”

“Get in line,” Tony says. “I'm still waiting for my brain to tell me what it's thinking.”

“I see,” Loki says. “Take your time.”

 _Take your time._ That’s what Loki said before they had drinks for the first time. Even then Tony already asked for permission, although not consciously. It makes him feel a little sick now.

“I haven't done anything like this in ages,” he says finally, not looking at Loki. 

"Me neither," Loki says, carefully. "But I'm willing to try, anyway."

Tony slowly shakes his head. “I'm just not good at it.”

“At submitting?” Loki asks, still sounding confused.

Tony just lifts his shoulders, not knowing what else to say. He doesn't know how to put this into words, has never tried that before. It's just what he learned in every relationship he had - or, well, in the one relationship and dozens of short-term fuckbuddies that he had. It always ends with doms trying to mold him into something he just isn't and will never be. It's not their fault - no dom would like having a sub who ignores everything they say and goes on a week-long inventing binge instead. Tony gets that. They have to be in control, that's the whole point, and Tony is uncontrollable in so many aspects that there just _isn't_ a point _._ It didn't even work out with Pepper, and he really loved her.

“I really don't understand, I'm afraid,” Loki says, apparently unwilling to just let the topic go. “I know you have a hard time following orders, but I assure you, that's a problem I know how to handle.”

Tony shakes his head again. “That's not it. I don't -” He sighs. “I don't mind following orders. It's fun. But I - I just can't stand it when someone thinks I _need_ to be given orders to get my life in order. And everybody always thinks that.”

Loki was quiet for a while. “Stark,” he said then, “do you really think _I_ would try to change your chaotic way of living?”

He sounds so insulted that it startles a laugh out of Tony. He dares to look at Loki and finds him smiling, and Tony can't help but grin himself. “No, you'd probably make it more chaotic.”

“Yes,” Loki says, satisfied. 

Tony looks at him for a moment longer, sobering quickly. “Still.”

He doesn't elaborate, but it looks like Loki doesn't need him to. “I know that these things are handled very differently here on Earth,” he says, “but I also know that everyone submits differently, just like everyone dominates differently. If anybody told you that you are a bad sub because you didn’t want to accept all the rules they gave you, then they were simply not the right dom for you.”

Tony snorts. “What, and you are?”

“Well.” Loki raises a brow. “You could give me a chance and find out if I am.”

Tony stares, but soon yanks his eyes away to look at his own hands. “I don't know. Maybe.”

“It's your decision,” Loki says. “I am - content with just this, too.”

 _Content,_ Tony realizes, is not the same as _happy._

x

Loki chooses another movie they can watch, and he also points out that they both didn't have anything for dinner yet, so Tony has JARVIS order something.

He doesn't taste the food, not really, and he doesn't watch the movie, either. And he knows that Loki knows that. The god is quiet himself, and he sits a little bit closer to Tony than he usually would. Tony can almost feel the warmth of Loki's thigh pressed against his own, but there are still a few inches of air in the way. Maybe, if they hadn't just had the conversation they had, Tony would just climb into Loki's lap and kiss him senseless like he has thought about countless times by now, but he can't bring himself to do that now. He wishes that they had never even talked about this at all, then he could do something rash and stupid and act like he hasn't thought about the consequences. Since when do they talk about anything like reasonable adults, anyway? Talking makes anything so much more _difficult._

He wonders how much it would take to get Loki to jump him. Tony's done that before, when he was younger; actually it was his go-to method when he wanted to hook up with some pretty dom. Act like a lost sub and some dom _will_ pick you up, and while they might be idiots, they're good enough for a few hours. He's sure he could still pull it off, the whole submissive shtick - but well, this is _Loki,_ and Loki probably won't be impressed by shy smiles and downcast gazes, not when they are faked.

What _would_ impress him, though? Tony doesn't have much else to offer right now. Hell, maybe he can't even have a proper session anymore, what with the arc reactor in his chest and all. And the panic attacks. The panic attacks might be a problem, too.

The movie comes to an end. Tony only notices because Loki sits up properly and stretches and _god,_ he probably does that on purpose. No, he definitely does that on purpose, Tony thinks while he not so subtly watches Loki’s shirt slide up. Loki doesn’t ever show any skin, all his shirts are high-collared and long-sleeved, and damn him, but Tony’s desperate to see more. He bets he could make Loki fall apart if he let him - Loki already wants him, that much is clear, and Tony knows that he would have Loki wrapped around his little finger in no time at all. A few minutes on his knees, that’s probably all it would take. (That’s another problem right there - He can’t just _relax,_ he’ll always try to keep at least some control, some leverage. Getting doms to do what he wants even while he’s the one kneeling, Tony is very good at that. Some people think he’s a switch or even a dom because of that, but in truth he’s just obsessively paranoid.)

“I’ll take my leave now, I think,” Loki says when the credits have been rolling for a minute already, his eyes on Tony.

Tony grins at him, and he hopes it looks like his usual grin, or at least like a grin that doesn’t say _I’m a mess and you’ll regret it, but for the love of god, take me apart._ “Yes, sure. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

(Obsessively paranoid, but also pathetically needy.)

“Of course,” Loki says.

He kisses Tony’s cheek before he stands up and leaves, and Tony realizes about a second too late that Loki just fucking _kissed_ _his cheek,_ and then he spends another second freaking out about because come _on,_ that’s just entirely unfair and if they start kissing cheeks now, they’ve already given in. Tony’s chest feels so full all of a sudden and he doesn’t know what to do with own body except haul it over the backrest of the sofa and make it crash into Loki, who somehow manages to look surprised and smug at the same time. Tony kisses him, grabbing fistfuls of Loki’s shirt to pull him down, and Loki kisses back like he’s been waiting for this for weeks.

And, well. Perhaps he has.

This is very rash, Tony thinks absently, and it’s also very stupid. But to hell with it, Loki is an excellent kisser, and he takes control of the kiss even more excellently. He slows it down and softens it, fingers digging into Tony’s sides so hard that it’s on the edge of hurting, and he manages to make Tony walk backwards without even letting him _notice._ But then Tony’s back hits the sofa and he realizes that, yes, they’re definitely kissing, this is a Thing now - a Thing he won’t survive if Loki does everything as intensively as he kisses, but well. You’ve got to make some sacrifices.

It’s Loki who breaks the kiss, giving Tony time to breathe. Tony gulps for air while Loki watches him, thumbs rubbing gentle circles into the skin above Tony’s hip bones. Well, Tony’s shirt is still in the way, but the touch is soothing nonetheless. 

“Spontaneous,” Loki murmurs, his voice low and amused. “I like it.”

Tony has to laugh. He can’t help it. It bubbles up in his chest and crawls up his throat, and then he is giggling. “This is - _insane,_ I -”

Loki watches him for a moment longer, then he says, “Hush.”

Tony tries his best to shut up, but it takes a few seconds. And then he hiccups, because the universe hates him and gave him the hiccups so that he can be _properly_ embarrassed. “Fuck.”

“I said hush,” Loki says, and then he kisses Tony again.

He keeps it brief and gentle, this time, and when he pulls away again, at least the hiccups are gone. Tony’s breaths are a little more even, too, and thankfully he’s not giggling anymore. He still feels a little dizzy, though.

Loki’s hand comes up to cup Tony’s face. He holds Tony’s gaze while his thumb traces the line of his jaw, slowly and intently, as if he needs to concentrate on what he’s doing. As if he _wants_ to concentrate on what he’s doing. As if - 

Fuck.

As if there’s nothing else right now.

“Loki,” Tony says, breathless. “I -”

“I am not going to say it a third time,” Loki says. 

His voice is quiet, but there is a warning note in it that makes Tony’s mouth snap shut. He’s forgotten what he wanted to say, anyway.

Loki’s eyes are dark, the look in them pleased. “Good.”

Tony swallows thickly. He stares at Loki, frozen in place. He doesn’t dare to move. Loki taps the underside of Tony’s chin twice, then a third time when Tony doesn’t immediately lift it. Then Tony understands and obeys, and he stops breathing altogether when he feels Loki’s fingertip wander from Tony’s chin over his Adam’s apple all the way down to his jugular. Loki’s nail on his skin shouldn’t feel so good, but it does.

“Keep breathing,” Loki orders. “And look at me.”

Tony forces air into his lungs and looks into Loki’s eyes again. He feels like his knees are going to give in every second now. Or like he’ll faint completely. Hell, maybe he’s just going to die on the spot.

“Would you like to sit down?” 

Tony shakes his head, and Loki accepts it for now. His hand is resting on the side of Tony’s neck now, his other one is still holding Tony’s hip. He’s so close that Tony can smell him and his eyes are ruthlessly gentle, almost too much to handle. Tony has never seen Loki look at anything like that and it’s overwhelming, and it also makes him remember that he’s in far too deep already.

“I do not want you to be anything you don’t want to be,” Loki says, slowly and firmly. “Is that clear?”

Tony blinks. “Uh. Yes.”

“Yes...?”

God, Tony has always hated the whole “proper form of address” thing. He never managed to take it seriously, and remembers quite vividly that the reason for most of the punishments his ever-changing doms gave him was that he’d drawled an insincere _sir_ or _master_ at them. He’s always had some issues with respect.

“What do you want to hear?” he asks, annoyed. “I can do _sir_ , or -”

“I have a name,” Loki says. “You may use it.”

“Oh.”

“So?”

“Yes, Loki,” Tony says hesitantly. “It’s clear.”

“Good.” Loki rewards him with another brief kiss. “If I ever misstep, you are to tell me immediately. Also clear?”

“Yes, Loki.”

“Do you have a safeword?”

Tony stares at him. He didn’t expect Loki to pay any attention to Earthly customs regarding this. Tony has no _real_ idea how it works on Asgard, but Loki did tell him that they basically aren’t any actual rules at all. Which is a tiny bit worrying. “You - you know what a safeword is?”

“Of course I know what a safeword is,” Loki says with a sigh. “I spent many nights doing research about how these things are handled here.”

“Research, huh?” Tony says, grinning faintly.

“Oh, hush.”

“Now you did say it a third time.”

“And somehow you are still talking.”

“I talk when I’m nervous; that’s nothing I can just - switch off. Deal with it.”

To his surprise, Loki didn’t seem annoyed by Tony’s glare and sharpening tone. Instead his eyes softened. “That may be adorable, but there really is no reason to be nervous. And I’ll deal with it gladly.”

Tony bristles. “It’s not _adorable.”_

“No?” Loki leans in to kiss Tony’s cheek, letting the touch linger. “I think it is. I also think it’s lovely that your brain can’t seem to stop working, although I would like to find out how much it takes to change that.”

Tony would like to find that out, too. Very much. It also scares him to death, but he's been scared to death ever since he flew into a wormhole two years ago, so it's nothing new.

“Yes,” he manages to say. “Alright.”

What is still new is this: Loki's lips on his, his tongue in Tony's mouth. It's not a gentle kiss, it's not a careful kiss, but as far Tony is concerned it's a _perfect_ kiss. It has him holding onto the backrest of the sofa for support, because his legs seem to have more and more trouble holding him up. Loki is kissing him as if he has nothing else planned for the rest of their lives, and that's the sort of thing that freaks Tony out, but _apparently_ it's also the sort of thing he adores, because it feels so _good._

He still needs air, though. Air is important. Loki gives it to him, and Tony's so far gone that he almost _thanks_ him - for the kiss or the air, maybe for both, he has no idea. He's panting, and Loki's smug little smile drives him insane. He can feel that Loki is hard; his cock presses very insistently against Tony's stomach. 

The only thing Tony wants right now is to get on his knees.

“Are you -,” he gets out, “are you just going to kiss me the whole night? Or -”

“I will kiss you when I want,” Loki says, “and as long as I want. And you will let me.”

Tony has to press his lips together to keep from making an undignified sound. Loki sounds so calm, he's not even out of breath. But there _is_ a warning note in his voice, more than just a hint of darkness in his eyes, and Tony already can't get enough of it.

“Yes, Loki,” he says, dutifully, and _god_ he hates it when his voice sound all soft and docile, but fine. Fine. There's nothing he can do about it now.

“You still haven't answered my question.”

Tony really tries to remember what question he's been asked, but he just ends up staring at Loki's mouth. “Er.”

“Your safeword, pet,” Loki says, his tone dry but still patient.

 _Pet._ Oh god.

Tony swallows. Safewords. Loki asked him question about safewords. Tony does have one, technically - the one he used with Pepper -, but he wouldn't be comfortable using it, so he says, “Red?”

“Red it is,” Loki says, smiling. He is touching Tony's face again, his thumb on Tony's lower lip. 

Tony has to resist the urge to open his mouth and suck at it. He wants to feel Loki’s fingers on him and inside him, wants to know how they feel and taste, how gentle and how rough they can be. Loki’s damned hands are going to be the death of him.

“You’re blushing,” Loki says, fascinated and amused and satisfied all at once.

There’s no point in denying it. Tony can feel it himself, the arousal and embarrassment coloring his cheeks. “Yeah, no shit.”

Loki smirks at him. His hand wanders lower, down Tony’s throat again until it reaches his chest. Tony holds his breath, Loki’s fingers so close to the arc reactor make him damn uneasy, but Loki makes no move to touch it. He lets his hand rest right next to the reactor on Tony’s chest. Tony tries to look down again, but immediately Loki takes hold of Tony’s chin with his other hand and lifts it up, keeping him from looking away.

“I can hear your heartbeat,” Loki says, like that’s a normal thing to say. Like it doesn’t make Tony remember every single moment his heart skipped a beat or started hammering when he was in _any_ way close to Loki. “Are you scared?”

Tony can’t lie to him. He just can’t do it. “A - a bit, yeah.”

Loki looks at him, and for the first time he seems uncertain. “Of me?”

Tony shakes his head at once. “No, Loki.”

“Good,” Loki says, relief scurrying over his face before his smirk returns. “Now. I think I want you to put your mouth to good use. Would you like to -”

Tony’s brain just gives up, and his knees give in. His kneecaps hate him for dropping down on them so suddenly, but the discomfort makes it a bit easier to focus and keep his hands from reaching for Loki’s pants. He hasn’t been given permission yet, so he digs his fingers into his thighs and looks up at Loki, waiting.

“Well,” Loki breathes. “Aren’t you lovely?” His hand is in Tony’s hair, tilting his head back. “Being on your knees for me suits you, pet.”

The thing is this. Tony may be bad at being a whole-time sub, but he’s not bad at sex. He is _definitely_ not bad at sex, and he knows it just like he knows that he looks pretty on his knees. He’s played this game a thousand times before, is familiar with the rules, although he does like bending them. Years ago, before Afghanistan, he could go under easily when he was with the right dom, and he has never minded kneeling for someone if it pleases them. He’s crawled for people and licked their boots and let them call him all kinds of things, and he enjoyed it all - but never for the right reasons, not really.

It was about pleasing the doms, sure. It’s always about pleasing the doms. But with Tony, it was also about proving something - to make sure that they would _never_ forget how good he’d been for them, not even when they couldn’t stand having him around for longer than a few hours. Tony would have done everything they asked, and later he’d walk away with a sore ass and a smirk, knowing that he’d ruined another dom for everyone else.

But he has never _cared_ much for kneeling or boot-licking or name-calling, not really. He gets off on it, but he has heard other subs talking about how they never feel more at home, more like themselves than when they are kneeling at their dom’s feet. Meanwhile, Tony would prefer being in his workshop over being on his knees anytime.

This, though? This feels oddly right. It's Loki, after all - Loki, who treats everybody else with scorn and sharpness, but looks down at Tony now as if he's never seen anything better. Loki, who listens to Tony no matter if they are on the battlefield at noon or in the penthouse at midnight, who _likes_ listening to Tony even when he's rambling about absolute nonsense. Loki, who looked so very out of place that evening he sat at Tony's bar for the first time, but now spends more time in the penthouse than on his own floor, because he feels _safe_ here.

Tony wants that. He wants to make Loki feel safe, and he wants to make Loki happy, and kneeling for him is _everything_ he's ever wanted. He feels so very warm, and Loki’s praise threatens to make him lightheaded. He’s scared of getting lost in it.

“Thank you, Loki,” he says, after a too long pause, and catches himself meaning it just a little too much. He’s thankful that Loki _lets_ him kneel for him, as if kneeling for him is a privilege. An honor. And, fuck -

It _is._

“You are most welcome,” Loki says, a knowing look in his eyes. “Go ahead, then.”

Tony doesn’t need to be told twice. He pulls Loki’s pants down all the way to his ankles, sucking in a sharp breath when he realizes that Loki isn’t wearing any underwear. His cock is long and hard; swallowing it completely will be a challenge. Tony always enjoys a good challenge. 

He glances up at Loki, who nods. His eyes are dark and wide, red lips parted. He’s a fucking vision, and Tony _adores_ him so much that it hurts. Loki’s hand is still on the back of Tony’s head, holding a fistful of his hair without tugging at it. The possibility is there, though, and Tony wants to make Loki’s grip tighten until hurts, wants to _make_ him tug and tear and push and then come down Tony’s throat.

Tony puts his hand on Loki’s thighs. The skin is warm and soft under his palms, the muscles beneath it strong. Tony presses his fingertips into the flesh and finally leans forward to nuzzle Loki’s thigh, the curve of his hip bone. Loki hums above him, spreading his legs a little to give Tony better access. He lets Tony take his time. His fingers are massaging Tony’s scalp, gently and almost thoughtlessly, as if Loki isn’t even aware that he’s doing it. 

When Tony touches Loki’s cock for the first time, the grip on his hair immediately tightens. He’d smirk if he wasn’t so busy gasping, and Loki seems to get the message. He keeps his hold on Tony’s hair tight and pulls Tony closer, right to where he wants him the most. Tony doesn’t waste any time. He closes his lips around the head of Loki’s cock, pressing his tongue against the underside, and relishes the hiss Loki lets out. Tony wants to hear more of those sounds, he wants to find out how he can make Loki moan. 

Taking his cock deeper and swallowing around it does the trick; Loki moans and pushes his hips forward, almost making Tony gag. It’s more surprise than anything else, and then there’s just satisfaction and the need for _more,_ so Tony holds onto Loki’s thighs and starts sucking him in earnest, until Loki can’t keep his hips from bucking anymore, until he’s tugging at Tony’s hair and all but fucking Tony’s mouth, just like Tony _wanted._

Loki losing control is a glorious thing, and Tony’s already addicted.

Loki gasps out a warning just seconds before he comes, but Tony just grips his thighs tighter and takes Loki’s cock as deep as he can. Loki lets out a sound that will haunt Tony’s fucking dreams, a strangled groan fading into a _whimper_ , hips twitching as his come hits the back of Tony’s throat. 

Tony slowly pulls back as soon as Loki lets him, gasping for air. His vision is a little blurry. He squeezes his eyes shut, forehead dropping against Loki’s thigh, and tries to catch his breath. His hands are still holding Loki’s legs, and he has to force them to stay there instead of reaching into his own pants to get himself off. He can’t remember ever being this hard and aching before.

“What do you want, Anthony?”

The question is asked quietly and gently, but it still has Tony making a sound that’s very nearly a whine. Fuck, _Anthony_ is almost worse (better) than _pet._ He doesn’t know what he wants, except that he wants whatever Loki wants.

“Please,” Tony manages, his voice wrecked. His throat is sore. _“Please-”_

“You may touch yourself,” Loki decides, “but only if you look at me.”

Tony takes a few shaking breaths, but eventually he lifts his head and looks up at Loki, who seems satisfied. He runs his fingers through Tony’s hair and nods, and then Tony’s already grabbing himself through his sweats and moaning at the feeling.

“No,” Loki says. “Do it properly. You’ve earned it.”

Tony barely even suppresses his answering whimper and fumbles to pull his pants down enough to free his cock. He starts stroking himself roughly, and even though it’s a little dry and even though it’s not Loki’s hand it’s _good,_ it’s so good that he can’t hold Loki’s gaze.

Loki doesn’t let him look away. He’s cupping Tony’s jaw again and tilts his head back up, so hard that it almost hurts. Tony grunts, hand speeding up even though looking into Loki’s eyes when they are so absolutely focused on him is far too fucking much right now. 

Loki’s smirk is going to ruin Tony’s _life._

“Do you like a bit of pain, pet?” he asks, and his voice is even worse than his smirk, worse than his eyes and his hands. It’s low and dark, but a little hoarse now, and what he is offering nearly makes Tony come right then and there.

Tony nods rapidly, doesn't manage anything else. But it’s enough - he feels Loki’s nails digging into his cheek at first, and then Loki slaps him hard across the face. It stings so much and so good that it almost overshadows Tony’s orgasm. He comes all over himself and the floor, gasping, and then -

Then his stomach plummets. His gasp turns into a sob and he doesn’t want to be kneeling anymore, but his fucking legs won’t move and everything is so hazy, and he doesn’t know what to do. Loki makes a distressed sound and just picks Tony up, as if he weighs nothing. 

He carries Tony around the sofa and then lies down, Tony on top of him. By now Tony is clinging to him with trembling hands, face pressed into Loki’s chest, his breaths erratic. Loki wraps his arms around him and just holds him, doesn’t even say anything until Tony calms down at least a little.

Loki’s body is warm underneath his own, and Tony can hear his steady heartbeat. And eventually that’s enough - the panic and the shame start to fade, and even then Loki doesn’t let go of him. He keeps Tony close.

Tony starts to apologize as soon as he can speak again.

“Shh,” Loki interrupts. Tony hasn’t even said two words. “None of that. You did nothing wrong.”

Tony lets out a shaking breath. He doesn’t dare to open his eyes, not yet, and he doesn’t know what to say.

“Was the slap too much?” Loki asks, so gently, and already so _contrite,_ as if he is about to apologize now.

Tony shakes his head as well as he can in his position, and finally manages to speak. “No, _no._ It was - good. Very. I just - I -”

“I understand,” Loki says, stroking Tony’s back. “You don’t need to explain. Just rest for a while, hm? Are you comfortable?”

“Don’t get up,” Tony says, weakly, and buries his fingers in Loki’s shirt to keep him exactly where he is.

“I wouldn’t dare,” Loki promises warmly. “Come here.”

Tony lets Loki pull him up a little, until he can bury his face against Loki’s shoulder. Loki keeps rubbing Tony’s back and turns his head, pressing his lips to Tony’s hair.

“You were so good for me, love,” he murmurs. “I'm very proud of you.”

Tony almost starts crying again. He sighs and keeps hiding his face, and Loki chuckles softly. He continues muttering sweet nothings that mean just about everything to Tony, until he falls asleep.

x

Tony wakes up before Loki, after not even three hours. He feels really fucking good, at least until the memories come back, and then he isn’t sure how he feels anymore. Still good, in a way, but also a little like he’s going to be sick. He wonders how long it will take until Loki decides that this isn’t what he wants.

Tony carefully sits up. He doesn’t want to wake Loki, but there’s no real reason to worry about that, because apparently Loki sleeps like a stone after sex. He doesn’t even stir. Tony looks at him for a moment, stunned, and before he stands up he kisses Loki’s cheek.

He goes to change into new clothes, and then he takes the elevator down to the workshop.

He's been working for about half an hour when JARVIS says, _"Sir, Mr. Liesmith would like to see you."_

Fuck.

Tony grits his teeth. "What does he want?"

_"It seems like he wants to bring you a coffee."_

Tony nearly drops his tool. "He what?"

If JARVIS could sigh, then he would do it now. _"He's waiting, sir. What should I tell him?"_

What the hell.

"Uh. Tell him he can come here?"

JARVIS doesn't reply, but Tony knows that the AI will deliver the message. And sure enough, just a second later Loki appears out of nowhere right next to Tony, a mug in his hands.

"Hello," he says. "Are you alright?"

It's possible that Tony is still dreaming. Or maybe he's hallucinating. How do you recognize a hallucination?

"Anthony?"

"Er," Tony says. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Loki studies him for a moment, then he nods and smiles. "Good." He places the mug on the desk and leans in to kiss the top of Tony's head. "Please call me if you need anything. Yes?"

"Yes," Tony agrees slowly. "Okay."

Loki cards his fingers through Tony's hair one last time before he straightens again, and all of a sudden Tony is so scared that Loki will leave that he grabs Loki's shirt.

Loki looks down at Tony's hand, then into his eyes. He raises a brow. "Yes?"

Tony stares at him. "That's it?"

Loki blinks. "What do you mean?"

"It's three am," Tony says. "I'm working."

Loki nods very slowly and throws a pointed look at Tony's desk. "I can see that."

"You're not going to punish me?"

"I didn't plan to," Loki says lightly. "But if you want one, I'll gladly provide."

This must be some sort of parallel universe. An alternative timeline. A trap?

Tony frowns. "You're not going to order me to come to bed with you?"

"You may come to bed with me if you'd like," Loki says. "Always. But I thought you were working?"

"I am."

"Do you want to keep working?"

"Yes?"

"Then I see no reason to stop you." Loki actually winks at him. Fucking winks at him. "I might ask you to take a nap some time tomorrow, though."

Tony gapes at him for a long time. Eventually, Loki chuckles and takes Tony's hand, lifting it up to his own lips. 

"I'll be in the penthouse, if you need me," he says, and then he turns around and walks away, apparently planning to take the elevator now.

"It's my penthouse," Tony calls after him.

"Do you have anything against me staying in your penthouse, pet?"

"No. But don't snoop around."

The last thing Tony sees before the elevator door closes is Loki rolling his eyes.

He keeps staring for a second, then he shakes his head and turns back to his work. The coffee Loki made is very good.

x

Later, Tony finds Loki on the sofa in front of the TV, sound asleep. The sun has just started to rise, its light falls to the windows. Tony looks down at Loki for a second, then he gives him a nudge.

It takes two more nudges, then Loki blearily opens his eyes. Yup, Tony still adores him.

"Move," he says. "Please."

Loki blinks and nods, already reaching out for Tony. He pulls him down, and not soon after they are huddled up to each other again, Loki's arms firmly around Tony's. It's warm, and nice. And a little odd.

"Loki?" Tony asks, after quite a while.

"Yes?"

"Do you really want to stay?"

"In the penthouse?"

There is a pause, then Tony says, "Yes."

Loki's arms around him tighten. "I'll stay. For as long as you'll have me."

Well, damn.

Tony can't keep from smiling. He's still scared to death, but now he feels like maybe this isn't such a stupid idea, after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, I did it again.

One of Tony’s favorite pastimes is watching Loki listening to Steve. It’s the funniest thing. Loki keeps rolling his eyes so hard that it’s a wonder they haven’t fallen out of his head yet, but the rest of his reactions are easy to miss if you don’t know him very well - a tiny downward twitch of his lips, an unimpressed brow quirking upward, a derisive tone sneaking into his smooth voice. His insults are subtle, and most of the time Steve doesn’t even get them. Not because he’s stupid or anything, just because he’s so busy being Captain Righteous who can’t imagine that anyone _doesn’t_ think he’s top of the class. 

The whole thing is very satisfying, and Tony can’t wait for the moment Loki has enough and wipes the floor with Steve until it’s all shiny and polished. When that happens, Tony will probably spend the rest of that day on his knees to make sure that Loki knows _exactly_ what to do to earn it.

Not that Loki can't have Tony on his knees anytime he wants now, but still.

Tony already can’t wait until the team meeting is over, most of all because it’s boring as hell, but also because he spent the whole day in SI meetings already, and by now he’s had enough of sitting at roundish tables and talking to people. He stopped concentrating about three hours ago, and now he’s too busy watching Loki listening too Steve, which is much more important than Avengers business, anyway, At least right now. There aren’t even any aliens threatening New York at the moment, why are they even _here?_

When Rogers finally decides that he’s bothered them enough for today, Loki is the first to stand up and leave the room. He gives Tony a look before he goes, nodding into the direction of the door, and Tony grins at the others before gets up as well. Most of them don’t even notice - Steve and Natasha are still talking about SHIELD stuff, and Clint is working on one of his arrows and probably hasn’t even noticed that the meeting is over. Only Bruce and Thor exchange a glance, but Tony ignores them and goes to follow Loki, who is already waiting in front of the elevator.

“Well, that was fun,” Tony says as he comes to stand next to Loki.

“I didn’t think I would ever meet someone who is as annoying as Thor,” Loki answers. “But I have to admit, Rogers gets very close.”

“You didn’t grow up with your father praising dear Cap at every turn.”

“Well, now he got even closer.”

Tony snorts and lets Loki enter the elevator first before he gets in himself. He leans against the railing, crossing his arms. “So you’re coming up, huh?”

“Yes,” Loki says, like it’s self-evident.

And, well, it sort of is. Loki often joins Tony in the penthouse or in the workshop after team meeting, because as it turns out they both like bitching about annoying people. So Tony really shouldn’t be surprised that Loki wants to come over, but he - well, he is. Things have changed between them now, haven’t they? What happened two nights ago was not just something that happens between friends every now and then. Tony knows that they should talk about it, but he also really doesn't want to talk about it, and so far Loki didn’t start a conversation, either. Actually, Loki barely even acted like anything was different. He didn’t even try to keep Tony from spending the last two days in his workshop (when he didn't need to go to boring meetings, that is).

Maybe it was just a one time thing. It didn’t feel like it, but Tony wouldn’t be surprised if Loki already changed his mind.

“I wanted to get you out of this suit the second I saw you in it this morning,” Loki says, and his tone is so casual that he barely even manages to pull Tony out of his thoughts.

The actual meaning of Loki’s words catches up with Tony soon, though. He stares at Loki, surprised. The elevator pings and the door opens, but Loki makes no move to get out. Tony swallows and realizes just a second too late that his hands are already loosening his tie.

“Did I tell you to take it off?” Loki asks, still calm, almost curious. 

Tony’s hands stop moving. “I thought -”

“I said I wanted to get you out of it,” Loki interrupts. He’s smirking now. “And I will. Unless you have other plans for the night?”

Tony immediately shakes his head. If he had any other plans, he can’t remember them now, anyway.

Loki finally leaves the elevator, and Tony follows close behind. Loki walks through the penthouse as if it’s his own, but then again, he has been doing that for weeks now. He finds the way to Tony’s bedroom without problems and opens the door for him, but Tony can’t bring himself to step inside. He just stands there, frozen, until Loki raises a brow at him.

“Something wrong?”

Tony will start blushing if Loki doesn't stop calling him that. He clears his throat. “So this is - this is still a thing?”

“Of course,” Loki says, his tone light. “I thought I made that clear."

"You did," Tony says. "But - the last two days, you didn't even…" He trails off.

The look in Loki's eyes softens. "I felt like you needed some space and time, that's all. Was I wrong?"

"Uh. No. No, not really."

Loki lets go of the door handle and leans in to kiss Tony's forehead, which is both a ridiculous thing to do and also ridiculously _intimate;_ Tony already feels like he's melting.

"I would like to have you again," Loki murmurs against Tony's skin. "And I would also like to not give you away again. If you haven't changed your mind, that is."

Tony shakes his head. “No, I - I haven’t.”

Loki smiles. “Well, then. Stand in front of the bed.”

The order alone makes Tony want to get on his knees, but he ignores the urge and obeys, coming to stand in the middle of the bedroom. He watches Loki close the door, his eyes fixed on Tony. Tony feels the hair on his neck stand on end, and he has to force himself to keep looking at Loki and not lower his gaze, which gets harder when Loki comes closer, stepping right into Tony’s personal space. Tony looks up at him, his throat dry, breath quickening.

Loki’s dimples show when he smiles. _I can hear your heartbeat,_ he said two nights ago. He probably can hear it now, too. “You really are lovely.”

Fuck, now Tony is definitely blushing. He can’t hold Loki’s gaze anymore, now he looks down - just for a second, though, because immediately Loki’s fingers are under Tony’s chin and lift it back up. He’s smiling, knowing perfectly well what he’s doing to Tony.

“I want you to look at me,” he says, his voice already low. “Can you do that for me?”

Oh god. “Yes -” Tony has to take a breath. “Yes, Loki.”

Something dark and pleased flares up in Loki’s eyes, and he leans down to kiss Tony, fiercely enough that Tony can’t stifle a moan. Loki chuckles and pulls back again, hands reaching for Tony’s collar. He loosens Tony’s tie and lifts it over his head before throwing it over the footboard of the bed.

So Loki is going to undress Tony himself. That’s fine. Tony can let that happen without losing his mind over it. (He absolutely cannot.)

“You’re easily excited, hm?” Loki asks, brushing Tony’s jacket off his shoulders and putting it aside as well.

The teasing note in his voice makes Tony shiver, but he still manages to frown and shakes his head. “No. It’s just -”

“Yes?”

“It’s you.”

“Oh?” Loki grins, pleased and sharp at the edges. “Do I excite you, then?”

“You know you do.”

“Is it my looks?” Loki starts unbuttoning Tony’s shirt, very slowly. “My voice? My hands?”

Tony glances down at Loki’s hands, but quickly remembers Loki’s earlier order and looks at his face again. “I - can’t really decide. Everything.”

“Mh. Do tell me more.”

Tony’s mind is reeling, but he can scrape up enough coherent thoughts to actually understand what Loki just said. And while Tony gets that Loki’s mostly joking, Tony also thinks, _fuck it, two can play this game._

“Your looks are nice,” Tony says, keeping his tone quiet. He leans in, and he smiles. “But it’s your voice that makes me want to get on my knees for you again. I want your hands pulling at my hair and later, if you decide that I’ve done a good job swallowing your cock, I want to have your fingers _in_ _me.”_

Loki has stilled. He looks at Tony, his eyes dark, and Tony knows he’s struck the right nerve. His smile widens into a grin.

“You certainly want a lot,” Loki says finally. His voice is deliciously rough.

Tony hums in agreement, then he asks, “Are you going to give it to me, Loki?”

“Perhaps,” Loki says. He puts Tony’s shirt over the footboard, too. “If you’re good.” When he stands in front of Tony again, he runs his fingertips up Tony’s sides, the touch light and gentle, teasing. “Do you want to be good for me, Anthony?”

Tony’s mind goes blank for just a second, then he nods. “Yes, Loki.”

Loki kisses the corner of his mouth, then his cheek. His voice is close to Tony’s ear when he says, “Good boy.”

Tony can _feel_ his knees turning into jelly. He’s thankful for Loki’s hands on his hips, holding him steady. He’s forgotten how this feels, how _good_ it feels. Pleasing a dom is still the best drug in the world, apparently, and Tony’s dangerously close to going lightheaded with it already. For the first time he realizes that Loki could send him into subspace easily, that he _will_ send Tony into subspace if he lets it happen. There is a brief moment of panic, but Loki nips it in the bud.

“Are you with me, pet?” he asks, the gentle sound of his voice just washing over Tony, calming him.

“Yeah,” Tony says, then clears his throat when he hears that his voice is already a mess. “Yes, Loki. Sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Loki tells him, and then his hands are opening Tony’s belt. “I haven’t asked about your limits yet, have I?”

Tony shakes his head.

“I should have. Is there anything you don’t wish me to do?”

Tony actually has to think about for a while. The truth is that he’s done a lot of things other people might find unthinkable and humiliating, and while he didn’t really enjoy some of them, he would do them again if Loki asked. So he isn’t sure if he _has_ limits, except -

“Water,” he says. “No water. And no choking.”

Loki stopped undressing him to wait for an answer, and he accepts it with a nod. “Anything else?”

Tony thinks about it harder. His trust issues are visible from space, and doing this with Loki is already hard enough, so he can only think of one other thing. “Uh. No other people?”

“I don’t like to share, either,” Loki agrees. He looks at Tony for a moment, thoughtful, then says, “We will go through a full list tomorrow. Would you be so kind to prepare one, JARVIS?”

_“Of course, Mr. Liesmith.”_

“Thank you,” Loki says. “And please make sure that nobody disturbs us until tomorrow evening, apart from emergencies. That includes you, too.”

JARVIS doesn’t reply. He probably already muted himself. 

Tony stares at Loki, speechless. Usually, Tony himself is the only one commandeering JARVIS like that - the only one who _can_ commandeer JARVIS like that, actually. He should have a word with his AI later, but for now this is just… unfairly hot, really.

Also, _tomorrow evening?_ It’s not even seven pm. How long does Loki plan to fuck Tony tonight, exactly? 

Not that it matters. Tony’s completely on board.

“You don’t have any more meetings tomorrow, do you?” Loki asks.

“No, Loki,” Tony says, even though he has no idea. He’s sort of distracted by the fact that Loki is finally opening Tony’s pants.

Loki seems to notice, because he grins while he pushes Tony’s slacks and boxers down. And then Tony almost faints, because suddenly Loki is on his knees in front of him and that is far too much to handle.

“What are you doing?” he asks, staring down at Loki.

“Undressing you,” Loki answers, pressing a kiss to Tony’s now bare thigh. “I also plan to _swallow your cock,_ as you put it earlier.”

“Oh god,” Tony says.

“Exactly.” Loki gives Tony’s foot a nudge, making him lift it so that Loki can take off Tony’s shoes and socks. 

Tony isn’t sure what’s happening here. This is definitely a first - no dom has ever taken off Tony’s fucking shoes before; usually it was the other way around. And Tony would actually _like_ to take off Loki’s boots for him, so he’s not going to judge Loki for this or anything, but it’s still a bit strange. What’s even stranger is that Loki can kneel at Tony’s feet and still look like he’s the one in charge. 

He absolutely _is_ the one in charge, of course, but still.

Loki makes Tony step out of his pants and then pushes them aside. His hands are on Tony’s thighs, and Tony can barely keep them from trembling. His cock has been half hard ever since Loki started undressing him, but now he feels like he’s going to come the second Loki puts his mouth on him.

“Your hands behind your back,” Loki orders. “Yes, pet. Good. And hold still.”

“Yes, Loki,” Tony says, already breathless, and nearly whines when Loki wraps his cool fingers around his cock, squeezing the base gently. “Oh, fuck.”

“Sensitive?” Loki sounds amused. His damned voice is going to drive Tony absolutely insane before the night is over. “Have you thought about this?” Tony shuffles on his feet a bit, but stops when Loki digs his nails into Tony’s thigh. “Hold still, I said. And answer my question.”

Tony takes a shuddering breath. “Yes, Loki. I have.”

Loki slowly starts stroking, with just the right amount of pressure. “And did you touch yourself while thinking about me?”

“Yes, Loki,” Tony whispers, trying to keep his hips still. Loki’s fingers are _clever_ \- but that really shouldn’t be a surprise.

Loki’s grin is predatory; there’s no other word for it. “Often?”

“Most nights. Most showers. I -”

Loki’s tongue is on Tony’s cock, suddenly, and Tony trails off with a moan. His eyes flutter shut when Loki takes him into his mouth, his tongue surprisingly cool against the underside of Tony’s cock. Loki swallows around him almost gently, and Tony can’t even try to stifle his whimper in time.

Loki pulls back for a moment, and Tony forces himself to open his eyes again. He sees Loki smiling up at him, his lips red and wet already, and Tony can’t get over the fact that Loki is actually _doing this._ Tony feels warm all over, and he worries that he won’t be able to keep standing for much longer. It’s goddamn embarrassing, but he can’t bring himself to care about it right now.

“From now on,” Loki says, “you are not going to touch yourself without my permission anymore, and you certainly aren’t going to come if I haven’t allowed it. Is that acceptable?”

Tony nods at once. That’s a rule he knows and likes. “Yes, Loki.”

“Repeat it,” Loki directs, then he swallows Tony’s cock again, this time almost to the hilt.

Tony’s knees buckle and he forgets about the command at once, lost in the feeling of Loki’s throat around his cock, tight and hot. Sadly, Loki lets go of him almost immediately, raking his nails over Tony’s thigh.

“Repeat what I told you, pet.”

“I -” God, Tony’s brain is turning to mush. He tries to catch his breath. “I’m not going to touch myself or come without your permission. Loki.”

“Loki indeed,” Loki says, so quietly that Tony almost misses it, and the wraps his lips around Tony’s cock again, and for a while that’s all that matters.

Tony has dreamed about Loki’s hands countless times, but now he thinks that maybe he should have dreamt about Loki’s mouth instead, because it’s a fucking wonder. Tony gets lost in it so quickly; after a few minutes the pleasure is already far too much. Loki can overwhelm him so easily, it really _is_ embarrassing, but fuck, who cares? Tony’s awfully close already.

“Please,” he gasps out. “Please, Loki, I -”

Loki pulls off his cock, but keeps his lips close to it as he looks up at Tony, his pupils blown so wide that there’s barely any green left in his eyes. “Yes, Anthony?”

 _Fuck you,_ Tony thinks, rather fondly, but what he says is, “May I please come, Loki?”

“No,” Loki says, and Tony’s knees give in.

Thankfully, Loki rises up to his feet in the exact same second and manages to keep Tony from falling by grabbing his hips and pulling him close. He’s chuckling. “Poor darling,” he says softly, pressing a kiss to Tony’s hair. “Do you want to kneel for me so badly?”

“Please,” Tony repeats, willing to let himself sag against Loki’s body, thankful for the support. 

“Later,” Loki promises, his hands wandering down Tony’s back over his ass to his thighs. He lifts him up as if he weighs nothing, which (at least for Loki) he probably doesn’t.

Loki sets Tony down in the middle of the bed, and by the time Tony is on his back he still hasn’t managed to get over how strong Loki is, and how many lovely things he could do with his strength. 

“Spread your legs, sweet.”

Tony obeys, propping himself up on his elbows to watch as Loki kneels between his legs. When Tony sees that Loki is naked now, he feels like he’s going to die on the spot, probably with a praise of magic on his lips. Loki grins at him and crawls up his body, one hand on Tony’s chest to push him back down. He kisses Tony like he’s been starving for it, and Tony thinks that he’ll be nothing more than a puddle on the bed when Loki is done with him. He’s surprisingly fine with that.

He’s also _definitely_ fine with it when one of Loki’s hands makes its way down between Tony’s legs, a fingertip pressing against his hole. Tony curses, he can’t help it, and Loki’s answering chuckle makes him whine.

“I take it you want this?” Loki asks, finally breathless himself.

“Please,” is all Tony can say.

Loki kisses him one last time before he sits back on his heels between Tony’s legs, nudging them even further apart with his thighs. His eyes are focused on Tony’s face, dark and greedy, and soon he pushes two suddenly slick fingers into him. He doesn’t seem to be in a hurry, fucking Tony slowly and graciously with his fingers, his other hand on Tony’s stomach to keep him still. Tony’s thighs are already trembling, and he has to dig his heels into the mattress to hold still. Loki’s already found his prostate, and it doesn’t take long until Tony gets close to the edge again, falling apart under Loki’s hands.

He’s begging again, probably. He isn’t sure. 

He _is_ sure that he voices his protest rather loudly when Loki withdraws his fingers. Loki just laughs, quietly and fondly, and pushes his cock into Tony with one smooth and languid thrust that has Tony keening.

“Yes, love, that’s it,” Loki murmurs lowly, grabbing Tony’s hips so hard that he’s going to have bruises there later. 

Loki rolls hips hips, slow but hard, and Tony feels so full that he can’t do anything but moan in reaction to it, blissfully helpless. Loki starts fucking him in earnest, not wasting any time, and he’s rough enough that it hurts, but the pain is _exactly_ what Tony wants, exactly what he needs. He grasps the sheets, searching for something to hold onto while he lets Loki use him - and god, that’s exactly what this feels like, Loki is _using_ him, and he’s using him so good that it’s ruining Tony for everyone else.

It’s that thought that makes him realize that he's about to come, and thankfully he manages to remember Loki's earlier order and ask, "Loki, I - I'm - _please_ , may I -"

"You may," Loki says, panting, and punctuates his words with a particularly hard thrust. "Come for me, pet."

Tony's been riled up for so long now that Loki doesn’t even need to touch Tony’s cock to make him spill himself, and apparently _that_ is what makes Loki come. His hips stutter and he presses his cock as deep into Tony as it can go, groaning.

Tony thinks that he’s died and gone to heaven. Or something. Heaven feels a little sticky. Also he’s rather exhausted and would like to go to sleep like ten minutes ago, thank you very much. 

He hears Loki chuckling. There is a hand on Tony’s stomach, a brief and warm tingle of magic cleaning him, and then Loki is already wrapping his arms around Tony and pulling him against his chest, his lips on Tony’s temple.

Right. Manners.

“Thank you,” Tony says, though it’s a wonder that Loki can even understand the words, given that Tony mumbles them into the skin of Loki’s neck.

“Thank _you,_ Anthony,” Loki replies softly. “Do you want to sleep?”

“Mh. Yes.”

Loki starts stroking his back. “Then sleep, darling. I’ll stay with you.”

Tony closes his eyes, and he sleeps.

x

Loki wakes up screaming. That sucks for several reasons; mostly because he _wakes up screaming,_ but also because his mouth is still so close to Tony's ear that Tony's head is still ringing a minute later, when Loki has fallen silent again, properly awake now.

"JARVIS, lights," Tony says and sits up, staring at Loki, who looks like a mess.

His face is hidden in his hands and his shoulders are trembling, but he doesn't make a sound. It's something Tony knows all too well - he knows what that right there feels like, and that Loki is feeling it right now makes Tony want to throw his arms around him and never let go.

He touches Loki's shoulder very carefully, and Loki flinches at once. A moment or two passes, then Tony tries it again, and this time Loki lets it happen. 

"Loki, it's me. Do you hear me?"

Loki shudders, but he nods. Tony shuffles closer to him, all but pressing himself against Loki's side, and rubs his back.

"Breathe, honey. Yes, that's good. You okay?"

Loki takes a shaking breath, but after a moment he nods again and even takes down his hands. He doesn't look at Tony, but at least he's not hiding anymore. 

"I'm sorry," is the first thing he says after a long moment, his voice very quiet. "I know this is… less than ideal."

"It's alright," Tony says, bewildered. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes," Loki says, sitting up straight. He's not meeting Tony's eyes. "If you want me to leave, I -"

"No," Tony cuts him off. "No, Loki, I - I want you to stay. Please."

Loki finally looks at him, his eyes tired and trimmed with red, and he sighs. "As you wish."

He still feels horrible, that much is obvious. And Tony gets it, he really does - for Loki, being out of control must be one of the most terrible things. It always is for doms. 

Tony never had to take care of a dom before, at least not like this. None of his relationships - well, none of his hook-ups - were in an way deep enough for something like this. He never even actually slept in the same bed as a dom before, not before Pepper, and she wasn't even that much into topping him.

It's surprisingly easy to deal with, though. If this is Loki being out of control and hating it, then Tony just has to do one thing - give Loki his control back.

"Can you get me some water?" he asks. "My throat is kind of killing me."

Loki blinks at him, surprised, but after a few seconds he nods and gets out of bed.

"And something to eat, too, while you're at it," Tony adds. "Please?"

"Of course," Loki says, and then he's already shuffling out of the room, not even bothering to get dressed.

It doesn't take long until he returns, carrying a bottle of water and a plate with sandwiches. He made Tony sandwiches. The whole thing is oddly adorable, and Tony can't keep himself from smiling brightly.

"Thank you, Loki," he says dutifully and leans in to kiss Loki's cheek before reaching for the water.

"You're welcome." Loki already seems much more comfortable, and he also gives Tony a knowing look.

Tony shrugs it off, grinning, and offers Loki one of the sandwiches. Loki takes it and begins to eat. 

"Talk to me, would you?"

"About what?"

"Anything."

Oh, Tony can do that. So he talks, and they sit there in the middle of the night, eating sandwiches and just… being together, as it seems.

It's almost as good as the sex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will probably (definitely) be more chapters, so. Keep an eye out for them if you're interested.💕


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, so. It’s not like Tony is _asking_ for trouble. He is merely… testing the waters. There are no clear rules regarding everyday behaviour yet, and he also doesn’t know what the consequences are for breaking any possible rules, so he has to figure out how far he can go, right? 

He just needs to know what Loki is capable of. Everyone and their mother knows that Loki's got power seeping out of him, but Tony needs him to put it to good use. They've been a thing for almost a week now, and while they spent the better part of it in bed, Loki has been… taking things slow. He's firm, yes, and clearly acts like he’s the one in control - which is _nice -,_ but he is also surprisingly gentle and patient. Tony hasn't seen him _angry_ yet. Usually, Tony needs much less time than a week to make people angry, and by now he's just pissed that Loki hasn't completely taken him apart yet. The other doms Tony has been with tried that after a few hours, because they weren’t willing to put up with his behaviour any longer than that. Tony hated that and he still does, but he needs to know what happens when Loki snaps.

But well, the only rule Loki has established so far is the no coming without permission one, and breaking that - well, Tony could, obviously. But coming without permission and getting punished for it would be so _boring,_ so predictable - and it would be playing, not much more. Tony wants to see what happens when Loki gets enough, when he gets tired of Tony's antics. He wants Loki to punish him for something that doesn’t have anything to do with sex.

Of course, he could just ask, but that would be boring, too. That would be _walking,_ and Tony has always been more the running type.

So he breaks a glass. On purpose. 

It shatters on the ground, disrupting the silence so suddenly and loudly that even Loki flinches. He is sitting on the sofa, reading, and now he turns his head to look at Tony, who is standing behind the bar.

“Sorry,” Tony says. “Won’t happen again.”

“Did you cut yourself?”

“What? No.”

Loki waves his hand and then returns his attention to his book, and then… Well, that’s pretty much all he does. Tony frowns and looks down at the ground, planning to leave the shards exactly where they are, because clearly breaking the glass was not enough. The shards are gone, though; now Loki’s hand gesture makes sense. 

Tony swallows down a groan. He’s been with doms who would let their sub fetch a cane for something like this, but apparently it’s not that easy with Loki. Because of course it isn’t.

He grabs a new glass and briefly wonders if he should just give up and try something else. There has to be _some_ way to make Loki angry. Thing is, Tony already tried a few things - he didn't have breakfast with Loki even though he had asked, he'd been as bratty as possible all day, he even ignored Loki for a few hours. But so far Loki has reacted with nothing except faint amusement, and that is very much Not Satisfying.

So Tony breaks a glass. On purpose. _Again._

This time, Loki doesn't flinch. He doesn't even look up. The shards don't magically disappear, either, but Tony doesn't bother cleaning them up. Clenching his teeth, he turns around to take something new to break out of the glass cabinet, but -

The door doesn't open. 

Tony scowls and rattles at it for a bit, trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with it. It opened perfectly fine when he took the second glass out of the cabinet, but _apparently_ the universe is against him and his plan now.

“Haven't you destroyed enough of your property today?”

Well, maybe it's not the universe. Maybe it's just Loki.

When Tony turns again, he finds Loki sitting on one of the stools, his arms resting on the bar. Tony swallows, getting a little nervous despite himself. Loki merely raises an eyebrow; he clearly expects an answer.

“It’s my property,” Tony says finally, stubborn. 

“Oh, of course.” Loki slides off the school and walks around the bar. He opens the cabinet and takes out another glass, placing it on the bar. “Go on, then.”

Tony gives Loki a sour look and takes the glass, but doesn’t drop it. He feels ridiculous suddenly, especially when Loki leans against the bar and just keeps watching him. 

Tony stares at him, annoyed. “Are you serious right now?”

“Are you?” Loki counters, glancing at the glass in Tony’s hand. “Didn’t you want to break it?”

“And you’d just, what - let me?”

“It’s a glass, Anthony,” Loki says dryly. “I don’t particularly care about it.”

Tony glares at him and puts down the glass again. He leans down to look for a bottle of scotch, and as soon as he finds one he proceeds to pour himself a drink - or well, he tries to. Loki grabs his wrist before Tony can even open the bottle, his touch gentle but still too firm to break.

“You will stay sober tonight.”

Loki’s voice is quiet, but it’s nevertheless an order, so Tony is now officially pissed. He frees his hand out of Loki’s grip, which only works because Loki lets him. “So I can spend a whole day annoying you, but wanting to have a drink is too much?”

“I’m not annoyed,” Loki says, unimpressed. “But that might change soon if you don’t ask me properly.”

Tony stares at him, pissed, and makes a decision in the split of a second. He puts down the bottle of scotch a little harder than necessary and then says, “I came without permission.”

Loki's expression doesn't change. “Did you?”

“Yep. This morning. In the shower.”

“I see,” Loki says, and for a moment Tony thinks that he's won this round, but then Loki adds, “I appreciate your _honesty,_ pet. And I forgive you.”

And with that he turns around and moves to leave.

“Hey!” Tony snaps, grabbing Loki's arm. “What the _fuck?_ You can't just - You practically ignored me all day, and here I am telling you that I broke a fucking rule, and _now_ you -”

“Now I am telling you that it’s enough,” Loki interrupts him and suddenly he sounds cold, cold and harsh enough that Tony stills. The look in Loki's eyes is hard. “You’ll be silent from now on. If you speak without permission, you will be punished. Nod if you understand, please.”

Tony just stares at Loki for the longest time, but Loki does nothing except look right back at him, waiting for a reply. Eventually Tony nods, and Loki’s hard expressions smoothens a little.

“Good.” It’s very nearly a purr, and there is a glint in his eyes that definitely means trouble. “Now take off your clothes. I want you naked.”

Tony grinds his teeth, but after a moment he pulls his shirt over his head. He makes a show out of folding it neatly and setting it aside before he takes off his pants and socks. All of his clothes end up in a tidy pile on the bar and Loki just watches, entirely unbothered by Tony’s glares. He even relaxes against the bar, resting on arm on it, and the change from cold and angry to this is… dizzying.

When Tony is naked, he resists covering up the arc reactor. He’s been naked in Loki’s presence a few times now, but this is the first time he feels uncomfortably vulnerable. But he keeps his hands at his sides, clenched to fists, and keeps looking at Loki, who is busy dragging his eyes over Tony’s body, calm and unhurried.

“Put your hands on the bar,” he orders. “And feel free to stop glaring at me any time.”

Tony turns to the bar and places his hands flat on top of it, not looking at Loki at all anymore. Loki hums, and finally leaves his far too fucking casual position to step behind Tony. As soon as he puts his hand on Tony's lower back, Tony flinches away from the light touch; he expected a hit.

“Oh, please,” Loki says. The cold sneaks back into his tone, although it's still teasing. “Don't be coy now.”

Tony wants to reply something snappy, but he manages to keep his mouth shut. (He deserves a reward for that alone, he thinks.)

Loki's hands are on Tony's hips now, cool and firm, and he nudges the inside of Tony's foot with his own until Tony spreads his legs a little. Loki is standing so close behind him now that Tony can feel the warmth of his body almost touching him, that he can feel Loki's breath almost brushing his skin.

“I want you to understand this,” Loki says, running his hands slowly up Tony's sides. His fingernails drag over Tony's skin, ready to scratch. “Before your lie, you did not manage to annoy me. In fact, I think that I have no right to be annoyed by the things you did, and that _you_ think I would be frankly makes me want to find your former lovers and tear them apart.”

 _Your lie._ Fuck.

Yeah, fine, okay. What was he even thinking, lying to the _literal_ god of lies? Not one of Tony’s better ideas.

“However,” Loki continues and now he is pressing against Tony's back, his hands firmly holding Tony in place, “I want to make something very clear.” His lips brush Tony's nape, making him shiver. “You are listening, yes?”

Tony presses his lips together and nods.

“If you ever lie to me again,” Loki says, “you will _not_ like the consequences. You may speak to tell me that you understood.”

Loki's tone makes the last bit of Tony's irritation fade and turn into… trepidation, almost. So far, Loki has been gentle to Tony and patient, but now he is suddenly _dangerous._ His voice is dark and sharp and makes every single word sound like a promise, like a threat, and Tony believes him. He believes that the punishment for another lie will not be a nice spanking or a bit of time in a corner, but something that will take Tony apart, and not in the fun way. Oh, he also believes that Loki will put him together again, and that there will be kisses and assurations and lots and lots of aftercare - but, still.

Right now, the possibility of a punishment like that scares Tony - punishments like that have always scared him, that’s why he hates them. But it's what he wanted, isn't it? He wanted Loki to do his worst.

He never wanted to disappoint Loki, though, or to hurt him. And now he feels like he did both by lying to him. It shouldn’t bother him this much as it does; he’s displeased a lot of doms in his life and never allowed it to ruin his sleep. 

So, yes. Shit. This is new.

“Yes, Loki,” Tony says finally, his voice already a bit ragged. “I understand.”

“Good.” Loki sounds much softer already. He presses his lips to Tony's neck. “I know why you lied, darling. And I want you to know that, if you need me to take care of you in any way at all, you can tell me, and I will see to it. Yes?”

Tony swallows thickly and nods.

“That's not to say I didn't appreciate your attempts to manipulate me. You may do that again if you feel like it, maybe with a _little_ more finesse and less broken glasses, and without the lies. But please know that simply asking me will work just as well. Do you understand?”

Tony nods again, hesitantly.

“Well, then. Tell me what you want.”

Tony doesn’t even really know anymore. He doesn’t want to be punished, not really. He wants Loki to absolutely ruin him, yes, but - well. He wants Loki to do that because they both _want_ it, not because he thinks that Tony fucked up somehow. Now Tony feels… hell, he isn't even sure if what he feels is annoyance or arousal. A bit of both, maybe. 

Loki obviously wants him to beg. Usually, Tony has no problem asking for the things he wants with a cocky grin and a tone of voice that tends to earn him a spanking, but that's only easy as long as he knows the game he's playing and came up with the rules himself.

This, though? This is Loki's game. And he's so different than all other doms Tony has had that he feels like he's sixteen again and in college, without any idea what he is even doing.

Suddenly, there is a hand in his hair, pulling his head back so hard that he has to bite his tongue to keep from making an embarrassing sound. He tries to free his head from Loki’s grip, but knows after that first try that all yanking will only make it hurt more, because he can do nothing _at all_ against Loki and his damned strength.

“I’m waiting, Anthony,” Loki tells him, his tone so dark that Tony shudders.

He tries to sort his thoughts and fails miserably. Then again, thinking is vastly overrated in situations like this, and trying to make sense of what they are _doing_ is something that Tony can try later, when Loki is done with him. The only thing Tony does need to think about right now is his reply, because obviously Loki is waiting for one. And what he wants is - well, exactly what he thought earlier; he wants Loki to _ruin him._

“I want -,” he starts, but cuts himself off because he gets annoyed by how wrecked he sounds already. He takes a breath, trying not to freak out. His voice is only a whisper when he says, “I want you to hurt me.”

“Mh. There’s something missing.”

“Fuck you,” Tony says, but there is no heart in it. He's not even really angry. 

“How _very_ rude,” Loki says, as pleased by rudeness as only he can be, and finally lets go of Tony’s hair.

Tony misses Loki’s hand immediately, but thankfully it returns quickly as Loki lets it travel down Tony’s spine until it comes to rest on the small of his back. Loki has stepped aside, now standing next to Tony rather than behind him, and Tony knows what Loki will do just the split of a second before he does it.

Clenching his muscles doesn't make the smack on his ass hurt any less. It's so hard that he would have stumbled forward if not for the bar in front of him. He's all but bending over it now, holding on to it for dear life. Loki didn't use all of his strength - if he had, the pain Tony would be feeling would be far from pleasant -, but the pain of the blow still makes Tony's head go blank for a few seconds.

This was only the second time Loki hit him. Tony's been wondering when he would do it again - one of the reasons he started this at all -, but he's also found out that Loki doesn't need to inflict pain to make Tony fall apart. Which doesn't mean that he doesn't _like_ it; Tony has seen Loki's eyes when he slapped Tony's face that one time. Loki loved that, and judging by his low hum and the way he digs his fingers into the freshly hit flesh of Tony's ass, he enjoys this, too.

He slaps Tony's ass again, and this time Tony can't bite his tongue in time to keep from moaning. He squeezes his eyes shut and leans forward until his upper body is resting on his arms, because his knees feel weak and he doesn't know how long he can keep standing. He hasn't let anybody spank him since before Afghanistan, and suddenly a good beating seems like the best fucking idea Tony's ever had. Or the best fucking idea Loki's ever hard. Tony's not so sure about who it was anymore.

“Stand up straight,” Loki says. “Look at me.”

The orders drip down Tony's spine, hot and tingling, and finally end up in a pool of liquid heat low in his stomach. His toes curl against the cold floor, but he can't bring his feet to move. It's a wonder they're still carrying him at all.

“I can't,” he forces out. He doesn't stand up straight. He doesn't look at Loki. He _can't._

Loki's hand is stroking his back, and the gentleness of the touch is a sharp contrast to the displeased note in his voice. “I am telling you that you can and will,” he says. “But I also told you to stay silent, so maybe my words don't hold as much power as I thought.”

Right now his words hold a lot of sarcasm, that's for sure. Tony half wants to lash out at him, but he grits his teeth and tries to concentrate on the orders he's been given. His legs _are_ reluctant to carry him, but he tells them to suck it up and stop complaining and eventually he stands facing Loki with his hands politely behind his back just to show off how much he can look like a well-behaved sub if he wants to.

He looks at Loki, and those green eyes almost bring Tony to his knees. He manages to stay standing just barely and he manages to keep looking at Loki just barely, but he _does_ manage, so that's a success.

“You think too much,” Loki tells him, softly.

Tony wants to tell him what it's like to have a mind that runs at two thousand miles per hour and doesn't shut up even when Tony's body is so very willing to give in. He wants to tell Loki that he started panicking when he showed Loki his floor in the tower that first time and never completely stopped panicking since then, and he wants to tell Loki what a fucking _big deal_ this is and that his brain is waiting for it to go up in flames because that's usually what happens when Tony tries to be happy.

Loki would listen. Of course he would. He would also smirk and say - _yes,_ he would say, _I'm familiar with the feeling._

As it is, Tony isn't allowed to speak, and so he doesn't.

Loki takes hold of Tony's chin, lifting it up. “If you ask me nicely,” he says calmly, “I will take you to bed, where I will give you the pain you're aching for until you cry and scream and beg, and then I will fuck you and use you and come in you until I am sated. Tell me, is that what you wish?”

Tony stares at Loki, his breaths shallow. He nods.

“I said tell me, pet.”

“Yes,” Tony says hoarsely. “Please, Loki.”

“There we go,” Loki whispers, satisfied, and leans in to kiss Tony.

It's slow and deep and absolutely filthy. It also feels a bit like Tony's been punched in the gut. He moans into Loki's mouth, knees buckling, and Loki breaks the kiss with a chuckle to pull Tony close and keep him from falling. 

“So responsive,” he murmurs, as if talking to himself. 

His voice nearly makes Tony whimper. He leans against Loki's chest, gasping for air and thankful for the contact, but Loki doesn't let him stay like that for long. He pushes Tony back and looks at him, his eyes dark and amused.

“Go and kneel on the bed,” he says simply.

Tony goes. The way through the penthouse is much too long, especially with Loki following right after him and _watching_ him so intently. In the bedroom, Tony crawls on the bed and kneels in the middle of it, but Loki shakes his head.

“Face the headboard.”

Tony corrects his position, turning around, and soon after the mattress sags a little as Loki kneels behind him. He takes Tony’s wrists and puts them on his back, holding them there with one hand while grabbing the back of Tony’s neck with the other. He pushes Tony down until his shoulders are on the mattress, then pauses.

“You can breathe like this, yes?”

When they had a more detailed talk about limits earlier this week, Tony also told Loki about the reactor, and that Loki remembers and _cares_ makes Tony relax just a bit. He turns his head to the side and nods, and Loki runs a hand through his hair.

“Tell me your safeword.”

Tony clears his throat. He wishes Loki would just _start;_ this whole anticipation business is making Tony crazy. “Red.”

Loki hums, pleased. “If you can’t speak and need me to stop, you will tap anything you can reach three times. Understood?”

Oh, great, so Loki expects him to go nonverbal. Wonderful. Tony’s heart is beating much too fast, spurred on by an odd mixture of arousal and fear. He nods again.

Loki shifts and puts his right hand on the small of Tony’s back. His right strokes over the curve of Tony’s ass, the touch light and gentle, and it goes on for so long that Tony is about to snap and tell Loki to get down to business, but in that exact moment Loki raises his hand for the first time. It comes down hard on Tony’s ass, not only once but again and again and again on the same spot until it gets too much and Tony flinches away. Or tries to, anyway, because Loki’s hand on his back is keeping him from moving away.

Loki chuckles and drags his nails over the reddening skin, making Tony hiss. He lets Tony catch his breath for a moment, and just when Tony has calmed down enough to think somewhat clearly Loki continues, spanking Tony in earnest now. It’s clear that it isn’t the first time he’s doing this; every single blow lands exactly where and how he wants it, strength and speed varying so much that Tony can’t even try to prepare himself. Soon enough his ass and the backs of his thighs are burning so fiercely that he can’t think about anything else, and his cock is so hard that it’s already leaking at the tip, smearing precum over the mattress. 

Loki lands a particular hard blow on Tony’s thigh and Tony can’t keep from thrashing. Trying to get away from Loki isn’t a conscious decision he makes, pain and lust just overwhelm him and then he’s already trying to crawl away. But Loki is relentless, his hands on Tony’s hip pull him back roughly before he slaps Tony’s ass again, quick and hard and burning. The strangled sobs and whines and pleas falling from Tony’s lips just seem to encourage Loki, and soon Tony stops trying to get away, stops even thinking about it. He’s clawing at the bedsheets and lets the pain cloud his mind, because he’s got no other choice than to take what Loki’s giving him.

When Loki finally stops, he’s out of breath himself. Tony can hear his shallow breaths as if from very far away, but otherwise everything is silent. He barely even feels the bed underneath him anymore, he’s so far gone, and even though he’s still crying, this is the best he’s felt in ages. He starts to feel even better when Loki reaches below him and wraps his hand around Tony’s aching cock, laughing hoarsely when Tony groans in reaction, his thighs trembling with the effort not to thrust into Loki’s fist.

“So desperate,” Loki teases lowly. He starts stroking Tony, slow and hard. “Do you want something, darling?”

“Please,” Tony gasps out at once. _“Please,_ fuck -”

“Yes?”

“I can’t -” Tony whines; he doesn’t even know what he’s saying. “Please, Loki, I - I’m sorry, please, just -”

“Hush,” Loki interrupts him, running a soothing hand over Tony’s still burning ass. It makes him flinch and whimper. “There is no reason to be sorry, love. I’m not punishing you, I’m giving you what you want. And you’re being so very good for me.”

He slips two lubed fingers between Tony’s cheeks and pushes them into him hard, pulling another whimper from Tony’s throat. The stretch burns and it’s too fast, too much, but Loki doesn’t prepare him any further. Just seconds later he’s behind Tony, pressing the slick head of his cock against Tony’s hole. Tony keens, and when Loki thrusts into him hard he _shouts,_ possibly Loki’s name. The burning pain makes Tony’s head swim, and he nearly comes even before Loki has actually started fucking him. When Loki does just that, it’s fast and rough, the grip of his hands tight on Tony’s hips as he pulls him back on his cock in time with his thrusts. Tony whimpers and moans and cries out every time Loki hits his prostate, his own cock rubbing against the mattress Loki is fucking him into.

Suddenly, Loki grabs Tony’s hair and yanks him up, wrapping one arm around Tony’s upper body and pressing him against his chest. God, he’s still dressed; Tony can feel Loki’s clothes against his skin. Loki keeps pulling at Tony’s hair and rolling his hips, using him just like he promised.

“I’m going to come in you,” he says, and that alone makes Tony moan. Loki’s chest rumbles as he laughs, his breath hot against Tony’s ear. “And you will come on my cock like a good pet, won’t you?”

Tony can’t speak, but he nods a few times, clutching Loki’s arm and gasping while Loki keeps fucking him. His thrusts have slowed down but they aren’t any less forceful, and Tony’s already so close that his vision is blurring. He’s completely lost when Loki reaches down and tugs at Tony’s cock; once, twice, then Tony is already coming. Loki follows him over the edge at once, groaning into Tony’s ear.

Tony’s body goes limp, and it’s only thanks to Loki’s reflexes that he doesn’t fall forward and right on his face. Loki keeps him where he is for a moment, his lips pressed to Tony’s neck, but eventually he carefully gets Tony to lie down. Tony slurs some words, he doesn’t even know what they’re supposed to mean, and Loki responds by running his hands slowly over Tony’s back, his magic tingling over Tony’s hot skin. Tony grins, his face half pressed into the mattress; he knows what the cleaning up spell feels like by now. He fucking loves it.

Loki says something to him, but Tony’s so busy listening to his voice that he doesn’t listen to the actual words he says. lets Loki tug and pull at him, arranging him however Loki wants him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Tony wonders if Loki isn’t done with him yet, but he honestly doesn’t even care. He’d let Loki do anything right now, anyway.

Apparently, all Loki wants is for Tony to bury his face in Loki’s neck and let him stroke his hair, so that’s fine.

Tony only realizes that he was in subspace when he crawls out of it again, slowly and sluggishly. He hasn't experienced it in such a long a time that his body has forgotten how to deal with it, and now it feels a bit like getting back above the water when you've been under the surface for a bit - everything is a little too bright and too loud, and for a second all his disoriented mind wants is to dive under again.

There is a hand in his hair, trailing over the back of his neck. And there's a voice, too; Tony knows at once that it was what guided him back up.

“Can you hear me?”

Tony makes a reluctant sound, too overwhelmed to say anything. Loki chuckles, and it makes Tony melt even more into him. He notices that he's lying on top of Loki - not just _half_ on top of him with his head on Loki's chest, but _completely_ on top of him; Tony's body barely even touches the mattress anywhere. His weight doesn't seem to bother Loki - of course it doesn't - and right now Tony doesn't really care about the technical uncomfortableness of the position, because the sole fact that it's Loki means that this is _very_ comfortable.

Loki is still petting him, his hand in Tony's hair and back, cool and steady. “Would you like to drink something?”

Oh. Actually - yes. Tony groans softly and nods against Loki's skin. Loki puts his hands on Tony's back and rolls him over, then helps him sit up, which is not as easy as it sounds because _god,_ Tony's backside hurts like hell. He sits on his sore ass for a moment and stares at nothing in particular, waiting for his brain to start thinking at least somewhat clearly. He still feels a bit drunk, and he knows that, in a way, he is. Drunk on pain and pleasure and submission, and most of all on Loki.

“Fuck,” he says, and rubs his bleary eyes.

“Here,” Loki says. “Drink.”

Tony takes the glass Loki offers him without thinking and drinks, emptying it with several slow gulps. He looks at Loki over the rim of the glass. He sits next to Tony, cross-legged and relaxed, and looks properly fucked and also faintly amused. His hair is a bit of a mess.

“How long?” Tony asks, his voice still raspy, when he is done drinking.

“Forty minutes,” Loki says, and his firm tone tells Tony that Loki's been watching the time very closely, just like he's watching Tony closely now. “Too long?”

Tony slowly shakes his head. Loki takes the glass and puts it aside, then puts a plate on Tony's lap. Chocolate. Tony has always liked chocolate after scenes, but he isn't sure if he told Loki that yet. Maybe JARVIS did. Tony stares down at it for a while, a cold and uncomfortable feeling in his stomach for the first time since he came back to himself.

“Did you leave?”

“No,” Loki says at once, looking at Tony like he is both offended and amused by the question. “I do have magic, if you remember.”

“Yeah,” Tony agrees. “God. That's -” He pauses. “Good.”

“Are you quite alright?”

“Fine,” Tony says around a mouthful of chocolate. “Great, really. I mean - _really.”_

And it's true. Oh, sure, he's sore pretty much everywhere and won't be able to sit properly for days, but honestly? He feels awesome. Awesomely tired, too. He didn't spent the last forty minutes sleeping, after all, just high up in sub-land where everything's woozy and wonderful. And now sleep would be really, really good.

“I'm glad,” Loki says, still amused, and lies back down. He stretches, his arms above his head, but doesn't look away from Tony. There’s a green flimmer, then Loki is naked - the fact that he was dressed the whole time is a capital crime, but right now Tony adores him too much to even consider complaining about anything Loki does. 

“Come here,” Loki says, and again Tony obeys without even thinking about it.

Tony puts away the plate and tucking himself against Loki's side again. Yes, this is much better. 

This is _good._

x

When he wakes up, he's still plastered against Loki's side. Loki himself is sleeping, breathing softly and deeply, and Tony stays as he is for a while and draws patterns on Loki's chest. Eventually he has to go up to go to the bathroom, where he splashes some cold water into his face and asks himself what the fuck he's even doing. And why he isn't panicking. That's the oddest thing, he _isn't_ panicking. He's always panicking, sometimes more and sometimes less, especially about everything involving Loki, but right now he's… He's fine. Loki is peacefully asleep in Tony's - in their - bed, how could Tony not be fine?

In front of the mirror, Tony almost breaks his neck trying to get a good look at his ass and thighs. The skin is red and bruised, and on his hips he can see fingerprints where Loki grabbed him. Actual fucking fingerprints. Of Loki's fingers.

Tony trails his own fingertips over the marks and presses them into his sore flesh, wincing a bit in reaction to the pain. He's always had a thing for Loki's hands. Seeing them imprinted on his own skin now is messing with Tony's brain in the very best of ways and fills him with a warmth he isn't used to. 

He has to thank Loki as soon as he wakes up.

When he woke up, Tony was thinking about going to the workshop, but now he just goes back to bed. Sunrise is still a few hours away, and he wants to spend them next to Loki. As Tony lies down next to him, Loki stirs a bit. He must be at least somewhat awake, because he wraps his arm around Tony and pulls him against his chest, nose buried in Tony's hair. Tony winces and squirms, trying to find a position in which the bruises don't throb all too badly.

“Sensitive?” Loki asks, breathing the word into Tony's hair. He's most definitely smiling.

“Shut up,” Tony tells him.

“Rude.”

“Sorry, sir. Please go back to sleep.”

Loki actually laughs, quiet and content. Tony's sarcastic tone of voice doesn't seem to bother him. He strokes Tony's side and finally puts his hand on Tony's hips, fitting it exactly over the fingerprints he left there.

They fall asleep again like that.

x

Loki is showering in Tony’s bathroom when Tony wakes up the next time, and sunlight is falling through the windows. Tony is lying on his stomach and he has no desire to lie on anything else right now, because his ass is quite literally killing him.Tony sits up, listening to the water running, and immediately realizes that something is off. He gets out of bed and cranes his neck, but the bruises are definitely still there. They hurt, too, but not nearly as much as they should. He shuffles into the bathroom, where Loki is just stepping out of the shower.

“Did you do something to my ass?”

The look Loki gives Tony is entirely unimpressed. “A few things, yes. I’m sure you remember.”

Tony rolls his eyes and goes to fetch Loki a towel. “I _do,_ which is why I’m a tiny bit surprised that I can even move.”

Loki takes the towel with a smirk and starts drying his hair. “I didn’t want you to be in unnecessary pain,” he says, then pauses. “I should probably have asked before using magic on you. I apologize.”

“No, it - it’s fine.” Tony looks at Loki, stunned. “Just. Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Don’t make me spell it out,” Tony says and gets into the shower, mostly because that lets him avoid Loki’s eyes.

“Or what?” Loki asks, curious, but Tony just shoots him a glare and turns on the water.

Loki laughs and says something about kitchen and breakfast, and then he is gone.

When Tony is showered and dressed, he goes to find Loki, who is indeed in the kitchen, making breakfast. It’s an odd sight; usually it’s Tony who prepares their meals (or at least has JARVIS order them). 

He stands in the middle of the room for a moment. “Do you want me to -”

“Sit down, please.”

Tony drops down on the nearest chair. It hurts just a little thanks to Loki’s healing magic, but Tony still feels uneasy. “So, uh. Is this the point where you tell me that we need to talk, because I definitely don’t want to have that sort of talk right now or, you know, ever. If you want to - go, then you can just go. No hard feelings. So. Do you want to go?”

“Do you want coffee or tea?”

Tony blinks. “What.”

Loki looks at him over his shoulder. He’s already pouring coffee into Tony’s favorite mug. “Oh, I’m sorry. I thought asking each other stupid questions was the point of this game.”

Tony rubs his eyes. “Yeah, right.”

Loki seems to be amused. He puts the mug on the table in front of Tony and leans down to kiss him until Tony starts forgetting everything else. When Loki pulls back, he raises a brow, and Tony huffs and reaches for the mug.

“Message received.”

Loki grins and returns to the stove. He made omelettes, apparently. “How are you feeling?”

“Good. You?”

“I’m fine.” Loki comes back to the table with two plates. “Though I have to admit that I am a little uncertain about some things.” He looks at Tony and hurries to add, “Not about whether I want to keep you or not, no. But I do need to know what you want.”

Tony’s brain is a bit hung up on the _keep you_ thing, so it doesn’t pay attention to what his his mouth is doing. That is a mistake. “I want you,” he says. “That’s basically it.”

For a moment, Loki seems actually baffled. Tony feels himself blush a bit and takes a sip of his coffee, inwardly cursing himself.

“I want you, too,” Loki says, softly. “Very much.”

“Great,” Tony says. “I mean. Good.”

Silence, for a while. Tony is half finished with his omelette when Loki says, “Do you want me to punish you?”

Tony stills and stares at him. “What did I do?”

“Nothing,” Loki says at once. “I mean, generally. Do you want me to punish you?”

Tony looks down, poking his breakfast with the fork. He doesn’t know why Loki wants to have a talk like this again, they talked about limits already. And Tony already said that he practically doesn’t have any. “You can if you want to.”

“If I want to or not is not what we’re talking about,” Loki says dryly. “You put a lot of effort into making me punish you yesterday.”

“So?”

“I didn’t have the feeling that you wanted me to.” 

Tony sighs and puts his fork down. “Look, I - I don’t _mind_ punishments. I like them, but only as long as they aren’t about things I just _am._ I told you, I don’t like it when doms try to get my life in order for me.”

“And I told you that I have no plans to change your life in any way you don’t wish,” Loki replies, watching Tony closely. 

“Yeah, you did.”

“Do you think I was lying?”

Sensitive topic right here; Tony can tell by the cold note that sneaked into Loki’s voice. Tony shakes his head. “No, I know you weren’t. But if we want this to be a thing, you’ve got to learn to deal with the fact that I have trust issues. It’s not - it’s nothing personal.”

“I see,” Loki says, his expression and tone smoothening again. “I take it you don’t want me to be in control the whole time, then. That is fine.”

“What? No, I - I like it when you’re in control. But -”

“But you do not wish me to give you any rules regarding your general lifestyle,” Loki cuts in. “And I suspect you wouldn’t like it if I gave you orders in a battle, for example.”

Tony makes a face. “I’d prefer it if you didn’t.”

Loki nods slowly. “So you do want me to be in charge in general, but you do not wish me to control every aspect of your life.”

“Uh. Yeah?”

“Very well,” Loki says, and that seems to be it.

Tony doesn’t really understand what’s going on. He stares at Loki blankly for a while, breakfast completely forgotten. “Can you actually do that?” Loki raises a questioning brow at him, and Tony gestures around with his fork. “Just. Switch it on and off like that.”

“I am not switching anything on and off,” Loki says, sounding almost as confused as Tony feels. “I am respecting your preferences.” 

“Huh.”

“That you find this surprising is really worrying me a bit. Can JARVIS give me a list of your past lovers?”

“You are not going to hunt down my past lovers,” Tony tells him distractedly. Then he blinks and adds, “It’s not their fault, anyway. I’m just really good at finding shitty doms.”

“When a dom is _shitty,_ it is most likely their fault,” Loki corrects. “Also, thank you.”

Oh, great. Tony groans. “No, I - god, no, you’re not a shitty dom. You’re like, the exact opposite.”

Loki stays quiet. He looks down into his tea, a thoughtful look on his face. Eventually he says, “I used to be very good at this.” He frowns. “Or I think I was, at least. It’s hard to tell in hindsight. I don’t mean to worry you, but now I… I do feel a little out of my depth now and then. At first I thought I might have done something very wrong, yesterday.”

It’s not easy for him, admitting that. Tony can tell that it’s actually fucking difficult, because Loki doesn’t look at him, and usually Loki always looks at him. It makes this hurt a little more.

“You didn’t,” Tony tells him as gently as he can. “I’m sorry I made you think so.”

“You don’t have to be.”

Tony doesn’t comment. He’s still trying to wrap his mind around this. Loki worrying he’s a bad dom, that would be the funniest thing Tony’s heard all day if it weren’t also very sad. Because Loki is _by far_ the best dom Tony has ever had, and he’s already desperate not to lose him again.

And Loki should know that.

“I was in subspace,” Tony blurts out, causing Loki to look up at him.

“I know,” he says dryly. “I noticed.”

“Yeah, it’s just, I didn’t think I still _could._ Was my first time in - uh. Six years or something?” He lifts his shoulders. “Since I became Iron Man, it just wasn’t - well, it wasn’t a priority, but it also wasn’t even a real possibility anymore. I was already a bad sub before that -”

“You are not a bad sub,” Loki interrupts, but Tony dismisses it with a wave of his hand.

“The point is, it scared me to death. Losing control like that. But _you -”_ He swallows and huffs a laugh, shrugging again. “You make all that go away.”

The look in Loki’s eyes is first stunned, then incredibly soft. “Yes,” he says finally, his voice very quiet. “I’m familiar with that feeling.”

“Yeah?”

Loki hums. “I didn’t think I could ever let somebody trust me like that again. I didn’t think I deserved it.”

Yeah, fuck that shit. “Do you want me to get on my knees right now? Because I absolutely can.”

Loki smiles, and it’s the best thing Tony has seen this morning.  
  



	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just them being adorable and ridiculously smitten with each other. Enjoy.

In Tony’s walk-in closet, right next to the doorway, there is a dresser with six drawers. He hasn’t opened any of them in quite a while - well, _fine,_ he does open the one with the dildos every once in a while, but that barely counts. The point is, he has a lot of toys he hasn’t used in a long time, because Pepper wasn’t that much into playing with him, and Tony hasn’t been that much into playing with _anyone._

Now there’s Loki, though. 

Tony leans against the door frame, his hands in his pockets. “Just take a look, okay?”

Loki raises a brow at him, but Tony just grins. Loki’s suspicion turns into fondness just like that, and he does indeed go and take a look. He opens one of the top drawers and immediately starts to smile.

“Oh, I see,” he says, amused. “Am I alone not enough to satisfy you? Do you think I need aid?”

Tony smirks back at him. “I just thought that if you want to tie me to the bed, this might come in handy.”

“It’s quite insolent of you to assume that I need rope to tie you up,” Loki says, but he reaches into the drawer and runs his fingers over said rope, anyway. 

Tony walks over to him so that he can look at Loki better, and he’s pleased with what he sees. The look in Loki’s eyes is fascinated, and already darkening. It’s fixed on bonds made of red silk now, and Loki seems to like that more than the rope.

“I do admit that you would look pretty bound with silk,” he muses. “Although -” He touches the bonds and they turn from red to emerald green. He grins, pleased with himself. “Yes. Much better.”

Tony has to laugh. “You don’t think red suits me better?”

Loki wrinkles his nose and shakes his head. “I’d have you throw out all your red clothes if it wasn’t your signature color. Really, it’s a shame.”

“Oh, definitely,” Tony agrees dryly. “JARVIS, get rid of all my red clothes. And buy something green.”

_“Yes, sir.”_

Loki stares at him, the dresser momentarily forgotten. “I didn’t mean to order you to -”

“I still want to wear your color, though. That is, if you want me to.”

Loki looks at him a moment longer, then he clears his throat and turns back to the drawer. “There is no need to buy anything, JARVIS. I will take care of that myself.”

_“Even better, Mr. Liesmith.”_

By now, Tony is grinning from ear to ear. “Do you think you can make it through looking at the rest of the stuff, or do you want to dress me up right now? Something Asgardian, maybe? You know how much I like serving my prince.”

Loki closes the drawer very abruptly, and the look on his face is so glorious that Tony nearly doubles over laughing. He is still giggling when Loki pulls him close and kisses him, probably just to shut him up. That works often, but right now it doesn’t.

“You are _ridiculously_ predictable,” Tony says against Loki’s lips, still grinning.

“And you are being very insolent indeed,” Loki murmurs. His hands are firm on Tony’s hips, but he sounds amused.

“Well, if you want to punish me for my _insolence,”_ Tony says, his eyes exaggeratedly wide, and reaches out to open another drawer, “this is probably what you want to look at.”

Loki gives him a dry look that pretty much says “don’t think I’m done with you yet”, which is a look Tony likes very much, but then he returns his attention to the dresser. He hums, apparently pleased.

“It’s been a while since I last saw a collection like this,” he says, almost thoughtful. “It’s not very usual in Asgard, and I haven’t been in my house in Alfheimr in years.”

“I bet you have all sorts of alien sex toys there,” Tony says, mind already reeling. It’s a pity that Loki isn’t allowed to go planet hopping as long as he is still serving his sentence. “God. Is there a way you can bring that here without leaving Earth?”

“I’m sure I could think of something. But for now -” Loki’s hand dances over the tools for a few seconds, then he chooses a flogger to inspect it further. “This is lovely,” he says, stroking over the leather with his other hand. “I’m sure it stings very nicely, doesn’t it?”

“Sure does,” Tony agrees. He’s a bit distracted by the sight of Loki’s long, pale fingers wrapped around the leather handle of the flogger, and of course Loki notices it.

“Not a punishment, I think,” he says and puts the flogger back, smirking. “You’d enjoy it too much. This, maybe?”

Tony shudders when he sees that Loki has found a cane. It’s not that Tony doesn’t like it; he just really hates it, too. He can’t even really explain why, but Loki wouldn’t even need to deliver ten strokes with the cane to make Tony cry. It would be a good punishment indeed, Loki got that right. 

Tony knows that Loki is still figuring out how and if and when Tony wants to be punished, and Tony himself knows that it’s a fine and blurry line. But well, so far Loki proved a good eye for that, and he’s only punished Tony for things that belong more in the _play_ area of their relationship. Tony trusts him to not use the cane to make Tony regret staying in the workshop all night, so it’s okay. 

Tony swallows. “Only if I’ve been really - you know. Bad.”

Loki cocks his head to one side. “Bad as in lying to me, or bad as in disobeying me on purpose to get my attention?”

“As in disobeying you on purpose to get your attention,” Tony echoes dutifully. He nods at the cane. “I only like that when I _really_ need to hurt.”

“I’ll keep it in mind,” Loki says easily, and the best thing about that is that Tony knows Loki _will._ He’ll never forget it as long as they are together, probably. 

It makes Tony feel safe, and he can’t keep himself from leaning in and kissing Loki’s cheek. Loki smiles and turns his head, pressing his lips to Tony’s in a gentle kiss.

“I don’t think there will be a punishment today,” he says then, closing the drawer again.

Tony pouts. “Doesn’t mean you can’t hurt me, does it?”

“No, but I so enjoy using my hands on you.” Loki runs his hand down Tony’s back and squeezes his ass, grinning when Tony’s breath hitches in reaction.

“Fine,” Tony says, relieved when his voice isn’t _too_ ragged. “But I did show you this so that you can use it.”

“I know, pet. And that was very considerate of you.”

“Considerate,” Tony repeats, shaking his head. “Only you, Loki. You know that this stuff is basically yours now, right? The drawers are locked for a reason.”

Loki blinks, confused. “The drawers are locked?”

Oh, right. Tony feels himself blush, just a bit. He clears his throat. “Uh, yeah. It’s - here.” Tony opens one of the drawers and points at where he built a mechanism into the inner side wall. “I rebuilt the whole thing yesterday. JARVIS can control it, basically, and he - I mean, I can still open it, but if you don’t want me to, just say the word.”

Once more, Loki seems a little dumbstruck. Twice in one evening, Tony should clap himself on the shoulder.

“I see,” Loki says after a moment, speaking slowly. “Is that usual here?”

Tony shrugs. “Sort of? I just -” He looks away, fingers tapping on the top of the dresser. “I want you to be in control.”

Satisfaction flashes up in Loki’s eyes. “Well, then. JARVIS, from now on nobody but me has access to this dresser. Anthony may open it only with my permission.”

 _“Yes, Mr. Liesmith,”_ JARVIS answers, and for an AI he sounds oddly pleased with the situation.

Loki looks at Tony, curious. “Could you tell him to open it?”

Tony’s face is getting even redder, he knows it. He shakes his head. “Your, uh. Your commands override mine. In stuff like this.”

Loki smiles, wide and overjoyed, and pulls Tony closer to kiss him. It's oddly uncontrolled by Loki's standards, just his grin pressed against Tony's lips, but Tony doesn't mind. He clearly managed to surprise Loki, and most of all he managed to make him _happy._

"You are a wonder," Loki says softly, his breath warm on Tony's lips. "And I do think you deserve a reward now."

Tony leans closer, wanting to be as close to Loki as possible. His voice is breathless when he says, "Please."

Loki mouths at Tony's jaw, still smiling. "Would you like me to choose something from our collection here?"

The word _our_ echoes in Tony's mind, making it hard to think about anything else. "Please, Loki."

"Anything I want?"

" _Yes._ Anything. _"_

"Such a good boy," Loki whispers, cupping Tony's jaw. "I want to put something in you. Something nice and big to stretch you open for my cock, and then a plug to keep my seed inside you the whole night. Would that be a good reward?"

Tony makes a sound that's not very dignified. "Top right drawer."

Loki smiles and opens the drawer. His eyes get even darker at the sight of the dildos and plugs in various shapes and colors. "Go to the bed, pet, and take off your clothes. I'll be right with you."

Tony obeys, almost stumbling over his own feet on the way back to the bedroom. He folds his clothes and puts them neatly aside simply because he knows that's how Loki likes it, and only when Tony is already kneeling next to the bed he realizes the should have just left his clothes scattered around the floor. That would have given Loki a good chance to put him in his place. 

But, damn, Loki has him _trained_ already. Tony sighs and almost rolls his eyes at himself. He’d complain about this to Loki later, since it’s definitely his fault, but for that Tony would have to admit it first, and he’s actually a bit embarrassed. He promises himself to be particularly bratty soon, just to give Loki a proper challenge. Tony can’t have him getting bored, after all.

Thankfully, Loki doesn’t look bored when he enters the bedroom. He doesn’t look bored at all. In fact, he smiles as soon as he sees Tony on his knees. It’s a sharp smile, one of those that usually _make_ Tony kneel if he’s still standing, and right now it chases sparks of anticipation through him. It’s been almost a month now, and Tony still isn’t used to what kneeling for Loki does to him. He doubts that he’ll ever get used to it.

He lowers his gaze when Loki approaches him, and is rewarded with a gentle hand in his hair and the low and smooth rumble of Loki’s voice.

“Pretty thing, and all for me. Isn’t that right?”

Loki trails his fingers over Tony’s cheek, and Tony leans into the touch. “Yes, Loki.”

“And you so love being at my beck and call,” Loki says, his voice warm. “I could use you all night until your loose and pliant and thoughtless, and, desperate to please as you are, you’d only beg me for more. Do you like pleasing me, Anthony?”

Tony can’t suppress a shudder. “Yes, Loki.” 

“Look at me,” Loki orders, and Tony does. Loki’s expression is impossibly fond, the touch of his hand gentle as he tilts Tony’s face further up. “You have pleased me greatly. I - I adore you, Anthony, do you know that?”

Tony stares up at him, surprised. Loki sounds uncertain, almost - vulnerable. It makes Tony nervous, but well, he knows that this is new for Loki, too. As far as Tony knows, Loki barely had any long-term partners, either, and just like Tony hasn’t been with a dom for years before Loki, Loki hasn’t been with a sub in ages. Only now Tony understands that the whole thing with the toys might mean more to Loki than Tony realized. For him, they’re just toys, something he wants Loki to be in control over, but for Loki being given that control without even asking for it might be a slightly bigger deal. He isn’t used to people trusting him, after all.

Tony turns his head and gently and carefully kisses Loki’s palm. It feels like a reverent act, and it’s a bit surprising how much he enjoys it. When he looks up at Loki again, Loki is smiling again, the look in his eyes soft and pleased.

“On the bed, then.”

Tony stands up and crawls to the middle of the bed, where he lies down on his back. Loki comes to kneel next to him, running his gaze appreciatively over Tony’s body. Tony stretches, putting on a bit of a show, and grins up at Loki, who just smirks in response.

“Put your hands above your head,” he says. “Grab the headboard.”

Tony has to move up a little for that. As soon as he is in position, Loki straddles Tony’s middle. He takes care to keep his weight on his own knees rather than on Tony’s stomach, and that’s one of those small displays of care and thoughtfulness that makes Tony think, _fuck, Loki, I adore you, too. I really do._ And having Loki above him like this makes Tony think, _fuck,_ full stop.

Loki is still smiling, rather knowingly. He slowly runs his hands over Tony’s chest, up to his arms. The light touch makes Tony shiver, and he tries to arch up into Loki’s hands.

Loki takes his hands away and raises his brows, expectant. “Hold still.”

Tony huffs, which earns him the sting of Loki’s nails as he digs them into the skin of Tony’s shoulder.

“Behave. I can still change my mind.”

Tony knows that Loki _won’t_ change his mind tonight; he’s too happy to do anything that isn’t rewarding Tony. It’s a nice feeling and ticks Tony’s boxes very well, because he just loves it when he knows that he has a dom wrapped around his little finger. The fact that it’s _Loki_ only makes it sweeter. 

Still, Tony chooses to obey and behave, relaxing into the mattress. He’s still grinning, though. “Go on, then.”

“Brat,” Loki says, fondly, and suddenly he leans forward and puts his hands on Tony’s wrists, pinning his hands to the headboard. 

Tony’s grin widens, but then he startles when he feels something soft and warm wrap around his wrists, binding them to the bed. He cranes his neck trying to look up at his hands, and his mouth falls open when he sees that the warm and soft thing isn’t rope or anything else from his dresser, but thin tendrils that glow emerald green in the otherwise dimly lit room.

He looks back at Loki, who seems exceptionally smug.

“Silk might be pretty,” he says lowly, “but I prefer seeing you bound by _my_ magic. However, if you would rather have -”

“No,” Tony blurts out. “No, this is - perfect.” He squirms a little, trying to move his hands, but Loki’s magic doesn’t budge. It _is_ perfect, and Loki’s obvious possessiveness makes Tony’s toes curl. “Thank you, Loki.”

“So well behaved,” Loki teases, sounding happy.

“I always get the best things when I’m polite,” Tony says, grinning back at him. “You get off on it.”

“I like it when you respect me.” Loki places his hands next to Tony’s bound arms, leaning over him. His hair is open, framing is face; it’s a pity that Tony can’t bury his hands in it. Loki smiles, the look in his eyes secretive. “I also like it when you pretend to disrespect me, but let’s ignore that tonight, shall we?”

“Whatever you want, Loki,” Tony says, and means it. They both know that Tony always submits, in the end, but if Loki wants to have control without having to take it tonight, yes, Tony can give him that. He _wants_ to give Loki everything he has.

“Good boy,” Loki says, and chuckles when Tony blushes. He straightens again and makes a quick gesture, summoning something into his hand. “I also found this.”

Oh, right. Tony completely forgot that Loki took a few more minutes to look through the dresser while Tony knelt by the bed. Now he wonders how many toys and tools Loki has hidden in his pocket dimension. What he is holding now is a blindfold, which is a pleasant surprise.

Tony smiles and lifts his head, and for a second Loki seems surprised as well, but then he leans forward again. “Your safeword?”

“Red, Loki.”

“And?”

“Yellow when I need a break or when something else is wrong.”

“Good pet.” Loki covers Tony’s eyes and fastens the blindfold with a knot at the back of Tony’s head.

Tony lets Loki tug at it until he is satisfied, then rests his head on the pillow, adjusting to the darkness. He trusts Loki more than he thought that he could ever trust a dom again, but this is still a tiny bit nerve-wracking. The good kind, though; Tony can feel his cock harden against his thigh.

“Very nice,” Loki praises, and then suddenly his mouth is on Tony’s, kissing him for what feels like hours.

Tony lets him - of course he lets him - and moans into Loki’s mouth every once in a while, content with letting Loki do whatever he wants. Loki’s tongue is wicked, just like his teeth when he nibbles at Tony’s lower lip, and Tony doesn’t want him to ever stop. He whines when Loki pulls away, but Loki hushes him and presses his mouth to Tony’s jaw instead, then to his neck. He licks Tony’s throat, making him gasp, and by the time he reaches Tony’s shoulder and bites down there, Tony is already squirming. The pain is sharp and brilliant and draws a low moan from Tony’s throat. He knows that Loki’s teeth have left a mark, and he can’t wait to see it later.

He’s breathing harshly when Loki moves and climbs off him. That Tony can’t see what Loki is doing is _incredibly_ frustrating. He feels entirely at Loki’s mercy like this, and it’s that thought that makes his cock twitch. It’s hard and leaking by now, and Loki’s quiet laugh doesn’t do anything to soothe Tony’s frustration. 

“You have such a lovely cock,” Loki says, trailing his fingers over Tony’s stomach without getting even close to his cock. “I keep thinking that I might like to have it in me at some point."

Oh god.

Loki chuckles again. “I’m sure you would love that. You would be a good boy and fuck me as long and as hard as I wish, and you wouldn’t come in me without my permission. Do you want to serve me like that, pet?"

Tony has to take a few breaths, trying to concentrate enough to speak. It’s difficult; he just can’t get the pictures out of his mind. Loki under him, but his hands on Tony’s hips to control Tony’s thrusts, writhing and moaning and finally coming on Tony’s cock - Tony would take such good care of him, he'd make sure that Loki would never want to be fucked by _anyone_ else again.

Loki pinches his thigh, hard. "Pay attention, Anthony. I asked you a question."

 _"Yes,"_ Tony gets out. "Yes, Loki, please -"

"Another time," Loki tells him, his tone gentle. "Spread your legs."

Tony does, and he feels Loki move and kneel between his legs, stroking Tony's inner thighs. Tony makes a sound that's somewhere between pleased and needy and spreads his legs even further, offering himself. Loki touches him slowly and attentively, as if he wants to get his hands on every part of Tony he can reach. There’s something possessive in it, as if Loki isn’t just touching him but _marking his territory -_ Loki’s hands could say _mine_ more clearly only by writing his name on Tony’s skin.

Since Tony can neither move nor see anything, the only thing he can do is enjoy the attention. Loki obviously wants him to enjoy himself, because after a while he grabs Tony’s cock and strokes him slowly while a finger of his other hand slips between Tony’s cheek. He opens Tony up expertly and proves not for the first time that _could_ make Tony come on his fingers alone if he wanted. But Loki doesn’t seem to want that now; instead he soon presses something cool and slick and _big_ into Tony, something that hits his prostate perfectly when Loki pushes it as deep possible and makes him dig his heels into the mattress.

“How does that feel?” Loki asks, amused; he knows the answer very well.

Tony is panting, pulling at his magical bonds even though they _still_ don’t budge, and he needs a few seconds to get his tongue to form words that aren’t pleas or Loki’s name. Finally he grits out, “Good, Loki. I - ah -”

Loki hums and plays with the dildo, pulling it out slowly and pushing it back in _hard_. “Do you like being full?”

 _“Yes_ , Loki, please -"

"Then maybe you like this, too?"

Suddenly, the toy in Tony's ass starts to vibrate - softly at first, but getting stronger every second. Tony also feels the by now familiar tingle of Loki's magic, because remote controls are for mortals, apparently. The many ways Loki can use his magic are unfairly hot.

The vibrations stop, and Tony is almost grateful. The pleasure is already too much, threatening to overwhelm him, and it only gets more intense when he feels Loki's lips on his thigh, then on his hip, his stomach. They avoid Tony's cock, but Tony doesn't manage to complain about that because the dildo stirrs again, making Tony groan. Soon he is moving his hips, humping the air as he tries to push the dildo deeper, and he can already _taste_ his orgasm when the toy stills again.

Tony curses out loud, legs thrashing, but Loki grabs them and keeps them still. He waits patiently until Tony calms down, and then he starts running his hands over Tony's chest again. Tony arches up into the touch, needing more of it.

Suddenly there is something cold and stinging on his skin, and he reflexively tries to flinch away. It disappears, and he can hear Loki chuckle.

"Skittish, pet?" Loki asks, his tone cruel in a way that has Tony moaning. "Hold still."

Tony bites his tongue and desperately tries to obey. His breaths sound too loud in the silent room and his blood is rushing in his ear as he waits and waits and - _oh._

The thing touches him again, like fine needles rolling down his chest, awaking nerves Tony didn't even know he had. He presses his lips together, trembling with the effort not to move.

"Can you tell me what this is?" Loki asks innocently. He presses the toy a little deeper into Tony's skin.

Tony moans, hips bucking. "A - a Wartenberg wheel, Loki."

"So clever, aren't you? Do you like it?"

"Yes, Loki," Tony gets out, chasing the sensation of the wheel as Loki guides it over his stomach just lightly enough that it still stings.

"Good," Loki says, pleased. "I want you to enjoy yourself."

Tony wants to thank him, but then the dildo starts vibrating again and the words he wanted to say turn into a shout. The pleasure and the pain mingle and make him lightheaded, and every nerve in his body feels alive and overloaded. Soon enough he's writhing and gasping and pulling at his binds, even though they _still_ don't budge. He's close to coming again and is already begging Loki for it, but -

But the dildo stills, and Loki's hands stop moving, too.Tony whines and begs and tries to push back on the dildo, but Loki grabs his hips and again keeps him from moving. Tony resigns himself to his fate - it's no hardship. He does love it when Loki takes his sweet time making him fall apart.

"You going to do that the whole night?" Tony asks, his voice rough and slow. Soon he'll be too deep in subspace to speak, probably.

Loki soothingly strokes his sides. Tony can hear the grin in his voice when he says, "That, my love, is a _splendid_ idea."

Of course it is.

x

A few hours later, Tony is a very tired and blissed out little spoon, sated and plugged with Loki's cum still inside him just like he promised. Loki is muttering something in a language Tony doesn't understand, probably Old Norse or Asgardian, depending on whether there's a difference or not. Tony is too exhausted to ask about it right now, so he just lets the words wash over him - they sound sweet, and he can guess what they mean well enough.

He falls asleep to the sound of Loki's voice.

x

The first thing Tony does when he steps out of the elevator is loosen his tie. Sometimes there's nothing worse than being formally dressed from head to toe when all he wants is to be in an old shirt and baggy sweatpants, preferably under a car.

"Anthony?"

Fine, on the sofa with Loki sounds like a good idea, too.

Tony changes directions, slipping out of his shoes while he goes to Loki. He stops in front of the sofa, stunned speechless by the fact that Loki was right here when Tony left this morning and has apparently stayed here the whole day. There is a glass of wine on the sofa table, right next to an empty cup that probably contained tea some time ago. No plate with leftovers; Loki hasn't had dinner yet. He's been waiting for Tony.

Tony wants to crawl into Loki's arms and stay there for a few hours. Or days.

Loki looks at Tony, the impressive tome on his lap forgotten. "Don't you want to sit down?"

Tony hums noncommitally. He shuffles his feet a bit, watching Loki. "Can I kneel?"

Loki blinks, taken off guard. But then his book disappears and he nods, already taking a throw pillow of the sofa to put it on the floor. "Of course, come here."

Tony doesn't waste any time. Soon he's kneeling at Loki's feet - well, his legs are only half tucked beneath him; that's more comfortable in the long run. Loki doesn't seem to mind that slight breach of etiquette. His hand is in Tony's hair immediately, soothing him.

"Did something happen?" His tone is calm, but he still manages to make it sound like _do I need to kill someone?_

Tony has to smile. "Nothing bad," he says, angling his head to get Loki to massage his neck. "I'm just annoyed."

Loki doesn't give up that easily. "Who or what annoyed you?"

"Dear old Rogers. I was late to the team meeting - you know, the one this afternoon. Where you should have been, too."

"Oh, my. I completely forgot about that."

"Yeah, I'm sure you did." Then Tony forgets what he wanted to say, because Loki's fingers are very good at kneading the tension out of his neck.

"What did he say?"

"Hmm?"

"Rogers."

"Oh." Tony yawns. "Nothing important, really. It's fine. Don't worry."

Loki doesn't say anything. Instead he just pulls Tony's tie over his head and puts it aside. He reaches forward to open the first few buttons of his shirt, but then he pauses.

"Do you want more comfortable clothes?" he asks gently.

"Mh. M'not standing up."

"I didn't tell you to. Careful, this might tingle."

It does tingle, warm and pleasant all over Tony's body, and when he looks down at himself his three-piece suit has been replaced by one of his old band shirts and a pair of loose pants. He lets out a content sigh and hides his face against Loki's thigh.

"You're the best," he murmurs, his voice muffled by the soft leather of Loki's pants. He breathes in the scent, comfortable for the first time since he left the penthouse in the morning.

Loki goes back to scratching Tony's scalp. Tony shivers in reaction and relaxes even more against Loki's leg, basking in his attention. Loki murmurs something soft and gentle, but then he falls silent, which is unacceptable.

"What was that, Anthony?"

Tony forces himself to clear his throat and ask again, this time with more than a few slurred words. "What did you do all day?"

Loki understands, or at least Tony thinks that he does, because he starts talking and doesn't stop for quite a while. Tony listens as Loki explains that complicated spell he's been working on and all the research he has been doing for it, and _god,_ Tony loves Loki's voice. It's especially nice when he talks about stuff that nobody else could even try to understand. Soon Tony's world narrows down to just this: Loki's voice and his leg, and his hand in Tony's hair. 

He doesn't know how long he stays like that, but eventually his knees start hurting, and his back isn't all too fond of his slouched position, either. Loki seems to notice, because he is fucking _wonderful,_ and he reaches down and lifts Tony up, gently putting him down on the sofa, where he can tuck himself against Loki's side. The sudden movement made Tony become aware of things a little, but he soon drifts off again. Loki's hand slips beneath Tony's shirt, stroking his back, and Tony is in heaven.

When he comes back to himself who knows how much time later, Loki is still petting him. He hasn't even grabbed his book again, apparently he just sat here the whole time taking care of Tony. Tony sighs and presses a careful kiss to Loki's shoulder, not yet willing to move any more than that.

Loki shifts a little, and Tony makes himself lift his head so that Loki can look at him and see that he's back in the land of the living.

The green of Loki's eyes is warm. "Hello."

Tony sighs again and rests his head on Loki's shoulder. Loki chuckles and pats Tony's back.

"Stretch a little, darling. You haven't moved in quite some time."

Tony obeys, because _not_ obeying isn't really an option at this point. His brain still isn't fully online. He sits up and lifts his arms over his head, trying to make his limbs to remember that they can be moved.

Loki watches him, a little concerned. "How do you feel?"

"Great," Tony says, grinning lazily. His voice is rough from disuse. "Really great. That was - you're really -" He leans forward and puts his hand on Loki's chest, needing to touch him. He kisses Loki's jaw. "I needed that."

Loki pulls Tony into his lap, wrapping his arms around him. Tony chuckles and rests his forehead against Loki's.

"It wasn't healthy for you, was it?" Loki asks very softly. "Going without this for such a long time."

Tony nods absently, thinking about all the times JARVIS carefully suggested to find a dom to play with because that might help Tony calm down. Subs just _need_ this. Fine, some more and some less, but all agree with what Loki just said - no, going for years without submitting to anyone is not healthy. It's similar for doms. Tony knows that too, of course; it's one of the things they teach you in sex ed in school. And yes, a few times he did think about going to some club and hook up with someone just to take the edge of, but he always - well, after Afghanistan, he always just worried too much.

That's not necessary anymore, though.

"But now I have you," Tony says, smiling at Loki.

Loki's entire expression softens even more, and his arms around Tony tighten. "Yes," he says simply.

Tony presses even closer, his chin on Loki's shoulder. "You know," he says.

"Yes, pet?"

"You should move in. Here, I mean. With me."

Loki stays quiet for some time. "Do you want me to?"

"I want it if you want it, Loki."

Loki turns his head and kisses Tony's temple. "We'll talk about it tomorrow, yes? When you've had some rest." He strokes Tony's back. "For now, why don't you make us dinner? I'm hungry."

Tony smiles. Dinner is easy, he can do that. Loki doesn't always let him cook alone - which is fair, Loki is definitely the better cook -, but cooking for Loki is one of the things Tony has really come to like. There's just something so quiet and domestic about it, and right now serving Loki and making him happy is the best thing Tony can even imagine.

So he nods and slips out of Loki's lap. Loki follows him to the kitchen and stays close to him the whole time, as if he can't even bear being two feet away from him.

And even though Tony is the one doing all the work, he feels _absolutely_ pampered. It's a nice feeling - he could also call it safety, but he wasn't all too familiar with that word until now.

x

The next morning, they have breakfast in bed. Tony has figured out by now that complimenting Loki's magic gets him to show it off, and today Tony managed to convince him that conjuring up a full breakfast would be _very_ impressive. (And it is.)

"Hey, Loki," he says, his hands wrapped around his second coffee.

"Hmm."

"I meant what I said. You know that, right?"

Loki looks up and carefully swallows before he speaks. (Because he has manners.) "Be a little more specific, please. You said a lot of things last night."

"Did I?"

"Oh, yes. There was something very flattering about my hands, but well. I already knew that you are obsessed with them."

"I am not _obsessed_ with them."

"That was a lie, I think."

"Fine, I'm a bit obsessed with them," Tony admits, and then he throws a grape at Loki. (Because he does not have manners.)

Loki plucks the grape from his lap and eats it, completely unbothered. "What did you mean?"

Tony takes a sip of his coffee, watching Loki closely. "You should move in."

Loki stills and just looks at him, silent.

"I mean, it just makes sense," Tony hurries to add. "You're here the whole time, anyway. Your clothes are everywhere and your books are everywhere, too, and there's this weird magical thing in the living room that burned my fingers when I -"

"I _told_ you not to touch it."

"Loki, you can't place a weird magical thing in my living room and expect me not to touch it. Anyway, you practically live here already, and I just thought -"

"Anthony," Loki interrupts.

Tony stops and blinks at him. "Yeah?"

"Do you know when I last entered my floor?"

"Uh. No?" Tony thinks about it. "I don't know. Yesterday?"

"Three weeks ago."

Tony stares at him. "Oh."

Loki nods. "Yes."

"I mean, that's what I meant," Tony says a little lamely. His brain is still catching up. "You do live here already."

"Yes," Loki says again. 

"Wait, so we did the moving in together part already? Oh my god."

"I understand that this is exciting news for you," Loki says, "but I would like to get back to the _magical_ _thing_ you touched without permission, because -"

Tony throws another grape at him. It earns him a spanking, but honestly? That _was_ the goal.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I peppered in some angst because you know, why not?

Tony doesn’t often have breakfast with the other Avengers. His sleep pattern is too messed up for that, and also he’s not the most social person at seven am when he hasn’t had like five cups of coffee and possibly a lobotomy. Because that’s what would be needed to make him endure Thor’s booming voice and Cap’s condescendence so early in the morning.

Well, a lobotomy or Loki, apparently.

“I hate you,” Tony says, not for the first time.

“I’m sure you do.” 

Loki’s voice sounds absent and a little muffled, because he’s in Tony’s walk-in closet next door. Tony himself is still lying on the bed, sort of pretending that he’s still asleep because even pretending is better than accepting that he is actually awake right now. He doesn’t want to be awake. He got barely even four hours of sleep, and sometime after hour two Loki had the audacity to wake him up and sleep with him, so yes, Tony _is_ tired.

“Are you falling asleep?”

Tony groans and opens his eyes. Loki is standing in the doorway to the bedroom and looking a bit appalled, because how _dare_ Tony be tired when Loki is excited about something as absolutely _dull_ as _breakfast with the team._

“No,” Tony says. “I’m awake, promise. Also, you’re absolutely batshit crazy and if you’re not already planning to make this up to me somehow, you’re not the man I thought you were.”

“I keep being impressed by how dramatic you are,” Loki says dryly and joins Tony on the bed, which is the only good idea he’s had all morning.

Tony pushes himself up on his elbows to give Loki a pointed look. “I could tell you something about pots and kettles, but -”

Loki interrupts him with a kiss, and yes, fine, that’s enough to placate Tony. A little. For now.

“Now stop whining,” Loki tells him, amusement in his eyes. “I promise none of your precious time will be wasted.”

“Hmph.”

“If you’re good, I might even take you back to bed and keep you here all day.”

“Now we’re getting somewhere,” Tony says, grinning, and sits up. “You know, we could skip whatever you’ve got planned and get right to the -”

“No,” Loki says, smirking. “And remember, only if you’re good. Get dressed, please, we’re already late.”

“Late for what?” 

Loki just grins and kisses his cheek. When he stands up again, his eyebrow is raised expectantly, and Tony sighs and gives in. Loki brought some clothes from Tony’s closet - which is strange; usually Tony is the one bringing Loki his clothes. But fine, Tony isn’t going to complain, especially not when Loki wants him to wear one of the green shirts he gifted Tony himself. Loki is possessive in the best possible sense of the word, and the fact that Tony owned no clothing in Loki’s exact colors was something that needed correction, and Loki did correct it. Tony had to throw out some stuff to make room for all the clothes Loki brought him.

After Tony dressed (and unsuccessfully tried to distract Loki a few more times), they make their way down to the community floor. There is a lightness to Loki’s step that Tony knows and is desperately fond of, because usually it means that there’s some kind of mischief on Loki’s mind. Well, there is _always_ some kind of mischief on Loki’s mind, but when he’s grinning this much and this smugly, it’s the best kind of mischief.

The kitchen on the community floor is empty except for Bruce and Thor. Bruce seems to be working already; he barely even glances away from his tablet when Tony and Loki enter. Thor, munching his poptarts, grins and waves at them and starts saying stuff Tony absolutely does not want to listen to at the moment. He ignores the god and makes coffee for himself and tea for Loki, who is -

Talking to his brother, as it seems. Kindly. Almost eagerly.

On his way past Loki to the pantry, Tony gives his dom a questioning look. Loki just smiles at him, and Tony snorts and turns back to the shelf where they keep their generous supply of cereal boxes. There's still something left of Loki's favorite, which is good because otherwise Tony would need to find Clint and teach him a lesson about touching stuff that isn't his.

Thor and Loki are still talking when Tony offers Loki his breakfast, and Thor looks like he can't believe his luck. Poor guy, he'll be heartbroken when he figures out that Loki is only being friendly because he's planning something unfriendly. But, well, that's not Tony's problem. He accepts Loki's thankful kiss on his cheek and then carries his own bowl to the kitchen table, where he can sit next to Bruce and watch the drama unfold.

It starts not much later, and it starts with Steve Rogers bursting into the room. And in that exact moment Tony knows that he will spend the rest of the day on his knees because _god,_ Loki definitely needs to be rewarded for this.

It's no surprise that this involves Steve, really. He and Loki never got along (and will never get along, probably) and everybody on the team noticed that the atmosphere between them is especially tense since about a week or so. Or well, it's tense on Steve's side, Loki mostly just seems like he's having the time of his life annoying the shit out of Rogers. Tony is sure that there have been a few pranks, but every time he asked Loki about it, he just smiled and asked for a little more time, which Tony gave him gladly. He's just watching the whole thing and eating metaphorical popcorn, really. It's a wonder that Steve and Loki haven't yet beaten each other to a pulp. 

Then again, that's not really Loki's style.

Right now Steve is covered, from head to toe, with - what is that, _glitter?_ It sparkles red and white and blue on his clothes and the skin of his arms and his hands, it’s in his hair, on his face, it’s _everywhere._ He even leaves a trail of it behind when he stomps through the kitchen to Loki, eyes ablaze with anger.

“Okay, this is _it._ I’ve had enough. You are going to _stop this_ or I -”

“Or what?” Loki interrupts idly, the beginning of a smile tugging at his lips. “You will hug me and dowse me with glitter?”

Steve is silent for a moment. He takes a breath, calming himself, but he doesn’t stop glaring at Loki - his hot anger has turned into something much more controlled, and of course Loki notices the difference at once. He narrows his eyes.

“If you keep this up,” Steve tells him, “I am going to make you regret it.”

“If you think you can threaten me, you are even denser than I thought,” Loki says, and while his words are playful, his voice is anything but. 

It’s the tone that would make Tony duck his head and row back, make him realize that he’s overstepped in a way that neither of them finds pleasant. It’s the tone Loki uses on the battlefield sometimes, when he is insulted and angry - and ready to hurt. It’s the tone of a dominant who refuses to take any shit.

Especially no shit another dominant is throwing at him.

“Brother,” Thor says carefully, trying to soothe the tides.

“No,” Loki says, and Thor doesn’t say another word.

Steve stands there in front of Loki, his jaw set and his shoulders tense. “You’ve had your fun. And this whole week I let you -”

“You did not _let_ me do _anything,”_ Loki says, cold and sharp like ice. “You were getting on my nerves. I taught you a lesson.” He leans forward a little. “And if you continue getting on my nerves, the next lesson will be much more unpleasant than some stolen belongings and a bit of glitter. Are we clear?”

“You can’t just -”

“Are we _clear?”_

Loki’s voice isn’t loud, but firm and dangerous, and Steve reflexively takes a step back. His hands are clenched to fists at his sides, and Tony can tell that he is not far away from using them. Loki knows it, too, he glances down at Steve’s hands and raises a brow.

“I would think twice before trying to punch me,” he advises. “I would also think twice before ignoring my question a third time. So, Captain Rogers, are we clear?”

The silence is loaded and lasts too long, but eventually Steve says, “Yes, Loki, we’re clear.”

“Lovely,” Loki says, smiling. “Now, is there something you want to ask me?”

“No,” Steve says, jaws still clenched. “Thanks, I’ll find it myself.”

“Oh, will you? Fine, then. If you insist.” He pauses, leaves Steve hanging for a while. Finally, he dismissively waves his hand. “You may go.”

By now, even Bruce is shifting uncomfortably on his chair, looking like he would rather be somewhere else. Thor is staring at Loki and Steve, attentive and a bit confused - of course he is confused, he probably has no real idea what’s going on. His brain isn’t wired like a human’s, he’s neither a dom nor a sub, and for him this is probably just his brother being an ass. But for everyone else in the room this is Loki showing who is in control, and the fact that he doesn’t even need to raise his voice makes it even more impressive. Until now, it was common knowledge fact that Steve is the unofficial boss of the Avengers, but Loki basically just ran him over with a car and made him thank him for it.

It’s fucking glorious, and Tony’s glad that JARVIS has it on video.

When Steve turns around and leaves the room, Tony is sure that he can see steam coming from his ears. Everyone looks after him - well, everyone except Loki; he has already returned his attention finishing his breakfast.

“Uh,” Bruce says carefully. “Was that necessary?”

“Yes,” Loki says. “It was.”

“What did he do to anger you so?” Thor asks, still confused. 

Loki puts his empty bowl in the sink and reaches for his tea. “He’s been terribly rude to Anthony lately. It annoyed me.”

Bruce and Thor both turn their heads to stare at Tony.

“Tony,” Bruce says.

Great, so now it’s his fault. He rolls his eyes and sips his coffee. “What? I didn’t ask him to do it.”

“But you could have told him to stop.”

“I can hardly go around telling my dom what to do, can I?”

The staring intensifies. What’s odd is that Loki is staring at Tony now, too, an odd look in his eyes. Thor just seems even more confused, but Bruce’s face goes slack with sudden understanding.

“Oh,” he says. “Oh. That’s - I mean, that’s nice. I’m happy for you?”

Tony looks at him, bewildered. “What?”

“What?”

Tony gestures around with his spoon. “You ignored it for two whole months and now you tell me that you’re happy for me?”

“Two months?” Bruce echoes. 

“Are you going to repeat everything I say?” Tony says, a little sharper than intended. He has a very bad, not good feeling about this. “Bruce, don’t tell me you didn’t _know.”_

“I didn’t! You didn’t tell me - or anyone, for that matter. I thought you were just friends -”

“I made him breakfast, for fuck’s sake,” Tony interrupts him. “And he kissed me. Just fifteen minutes ago. Didn’t you -”

 _See that,_ he wanted to say, but the words die on his lips. He can tell by the look in his eyes that he didn’t see anything at all. Tony looks at Loki, who - who is staring into his tea, much too silent. And if that isn’t guilt on his face right there, Tony doesn’t know what is.

“Are you serious?” he asks Loki, feeling white-hot anger rise up in his throat.

Loki doesn’t look at him. “I simply wanted us to have a little more time before -”

Tony has to laugh. Fuck, this is ridiculous. Fuck, this is _awful._ He throws his spoon on the table - and god, Loki actually flinches. Just slightly, barely even noticeable, but he flinches. Suddenly and for the first time in ages, Tony relates to Steve; he really wants to punch Loki right now, too.

It’s a trick Loki uses on the battlefield. It’s a trick Tony loves, because it _is_ impressive. Loki can stand right in front of an enemy with a dagger in his hand and cover himself up with layer after layer of illusions, until he is hidden from the sight of everyone whose eyes he doesn’t want on him. Tony wonders how much magic it took to hide all the gentle smiles and affectionate touches and cheek-kisses they shared in public, wonders how much Loki must want to hide their relationship to cover up all the tracks for _weeks._

Oh, Tony noticed that the Avengers were strangely quiet about the whole thing, of course. He asked Loki about it, too, and Loki - he just lied straight to Tony’s face; Tony realizes that now. _They simply know better than to bother us,_ Loki said, _or maybe they think it’s just something short-lived. Either way, let us enjoy the silence as long as it lasts, yes?_

Something short-lived. The words settle in Tony’s stomach like a block of ice. He feels like he’s going to be sick.

“Fine,” he says, keeping his voice hard as steel just to keep it from trembling. “ _Fine._ Message received.”

“Just let me explain -”

“I won’t let you explain _shit,”_ Tony cuts him off. “You didn’t think you had to talk to me until now, right, so why change that? I don’t deserve to know what’s going on in your head, do I? As long as I fucking kneel for you when we’re alone -”

“Anthony, _no._ You misunderstood -”

Tony can’t bear Loki looking at him like this - eyes wide and full of regret while the rest of his face is completely blank. Fingers fidgeting. Shoulders tense. So Tony turns around and leaves, all but kicking his chair out of the way. Loki doesn’t follow him.

Because of course he doesn’t.

x

In the safety of his workshop, Tony thankfully does not throw up, even though it’s a close thing. It’s good that he doesn’t, though, because Dum-E isn’t even there to clean it up. Because Dum-E is in Malibu. Shit, why isn’t Tony in Malibu, too? He hasn’t had a panic attack this bad since he and Loki got together.

But well, he survived all panic attacks before Loki, and he survives this one, too. He cleans the mess up himself and then he takes the elevator all the way down to the garage. There is a secluded room reserved for Tony’s cars, a simple extension of his workshop upstairs, and he crawls under one of them and uses his trembling hands to break something, just so he can fix it again.

Bruce wants to talk to him, but Tony doesn’t let him enter the room, and after a while he leaves. JARVIS tries to talk to him, too, but Tony mutes him. But eventually, there’s a voice he simply can’t ignore.

“Anthony, please. Can we talk?”

Tony’s hands still. He realizes that Loki must have teleported here without even asking Tony if he can. Tony grits his teeth. “No. Fuck off.”

“Anthony -”

_“Fuck. Off.”_

Suddenly, something grabs his ankles and pulls him out from under the car. Tony kicks his feet, but he can’t do anything against Loki’s strength. Loki lets go of him as soon as Tony can sit up, and then he takes hold of Tony’s wrists to stop him from throwing his wrench right into Loki’s face. The tool lands on the floor with a hollow clank.

 _“Great,”_ Tony says darkly, not even trying to free his hands from Loki’s grip. “And what now? If you want to punish me for -”

“I’m not here to punish you,” Loki tells him urgently, eyes just as wide as they were in the kitchen. “Like I said, I only want to talk. Please. _Please.”_

Begging. Loki is fucking begging, and all at once Tony feels like he’s going to cry. God, this sucks. He feels his shoulders sag and presses his lips together, still glaring at Loki. Loki just keeps looking at him, the touch of his hands much gentler now. Tony could break free easily if he wanted to, but he can’t make himself move.

“You can’t just do that,” he says quietly, voice breaking. “You - you can’t say you want me and I’m fine as I am and then _hide_ it all. You _can’t.”_

Loki opens his mouth, but he doesn’t say anything. Tony takes a quivering breath and finally scoots back, hitting the wrench with his foot as he backs away from Loki and leans against the car. Loki stays where he is, kneeling and slightly bent forward, his hands on the floor. Eyes fixed on Tony.

“I never meant to hurt you,” he says.

Tony lets out a wet laugh. “Yeah, right. Right.”

Loki looks helpless. Stays silent. The urge to punch him is gone, right now Tony just wants - he doesn’t know what he wants, except for everything to go back to as it was this morning.

“I knew it,” he says faintly. “I knew you’d get tired of it eventually. I just - I just didn’t think you’d be _ashamed.”_

Suddenly there's anger in Loki's eyes. “I’m not ashamed. I could never be ashamed of you.”

“Why not? Why wouldn’t you be? Everybody else is.” Tony lets his head fall back against the car with a thud. “Every dom I ever had liked to parade me around and show me off - _here, look, it’s Tony Stark._ But then Tony Stark does something crazy and disrespectful, and suddenly he’s nothing to show off anymore. And you -” He laughs again. “You just skipped the first bit, didn’t you?”

“Anthony,” Loki says, his voice sharper now. “I am _not_ ashamed of you. I would tell the entire Nine Realms that you’re mine if I could.”

“Then why _can’t_ you?”

Loki’s mouth twitches, he’s frustrated. His eyes are desperate. “Do you know what will happen now? Thor - Thor will come to you and tell you that you need to be careful, that I have never kept a lover for long. As soon as Fury learns of us he will think you’re compromised, and as soon as _he_ learns of us he will -” He cuts himself off, looking away. “I just want to keep you safe. And you would be much safer if nobody knew that we are more than friends, because that alone is risky enough.”

Tony stares at him, his anger slowly fading into resignation. “ _He?_ You mean your father?”

Loki shakes his head. He hesitates. “I may have escaped an execution, but I still have enemies.”

“I have enemies, too,” Tony tells him, toneless. “We all have. Do you really think you and me couldn’t take them on? Fuck, Loki. I’m not some kind of helpless pushover you need to protect.”

“I will _always_ protect what’s mine,” Loki insists, meeting Tony’s eyes again. “Always.”

Tony looks down at his knees. He doesn’t know what to think.

“I simply wanted us to be alright for a little while longer,” Loki says after a long pause, sounding defeated. “I knew that the others would just make it more complicated. If you want - if you do not wish to be with me anymore, then I will accept it, of course. I know that I should have talked to you rather than deciding this alone.”

“Yeah,” Tony says quietly. “Yeah, you should have.” 

Loki searches his face. “Tell me what you need me to do.”

“I don’t know.” Tony lifts his shoulders. “I just - I need you to understand. This is a bit of a… sensitive topic. You know.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Yes, you do! Which is why you shouldn’t have -”

“I _know._ And I am sorry.”

That was not the first time Tony has heard Loki apologize, but he knows that apologies don't come easily to him. But sounded earnest, like he really feels bad. Loki _does_ feel bad, Tony can see that. It makes him feel just the tiniest bit better, because at least Loki still cares. He still _wants_ Tony, even though he isn’t entirely comfortable making it public for reasons Tony doesn’t really understand right now, because he’s confused and tired and still a bit pissed.

But, fine. Tony can live with that. They can deal with the Avengers and make sure that nobody else will know and give them shit, at least for now. He sort of understands what Loki meant when he said that he just wanted them to be alright for a bit longer. It’s exactly how Tony’s been feeling the whole time - _I know you’ll want to get rid of me soon, but not yet. Please, not yet._

Tony sighs and rubs his eyes. “Can we agree on a new rule?”

“A rule?”

“Yeah.” Tony lets his hand sink and looks at Loki. “Let’s not go behind each other’s backs, okay? Can we do that?”

Loki’s brows draw into a slight frown. “You are asking me not to trick you.”

“I’m asking you to come to me when you’re worried or have any other sort of problem instead of deciding things behind my back, no matter if you think you’re doing it to protect me,” Tony corrects. “Look, Loki, I - I trust you. I do. But I need you to trust me in return, I - despite all the stuff we do in bed and out of it, I need us be _equals._ Otherwise I can’t do this.”

“I never considered you in any way beneath me,” Loki says slowly.

“You consider everyone beneath you.”

“But not you,” Loki says, frustrated. “I admit that I made a mistake, but does that make everything else I did invalid? Have I ever made you feel like you don’t have my utmost respect for everything you do and are?”

Tony raises his brows. “You mean, apart from the whole hiding that we’re together shit?”

“That being the mistake I mentioned, yes,” Loki snaps and stands up, turning away. “Apart from that.”

He walks a few steps, restless, and Tony watches him. He thinks about it and well, Loki’s right; he never _not_ felt safe and respected in Loki’s presence. Oh sure, Loki can be cruel in bed (just to be clear, that's something positive) and he has a sharp tongue now and then, but it’s very obvious that he _wants_ to be cruel to Tony when he needs cruel and gentle when Tony needs gentle, and all in all he’s just the best damned dom Tony ever had. And of course that still counts.

Ah, shit.

“I’m sorry,” he says and scrambles to get up on his feet as well. “Look, I - I didn’t mean to imply that you don’t respect me, I know you do. But - you don’t want me to lie to you, either, do you? You want me to be honest. I just want the same from you.” He pauses. “And if you could stop hiding us from the team, that would be nice, too. Because _that_ makes me feel like shit.”

Loki stands there, his hands by his sides and his expression carefully blank. “You do not want to hide - us?”

Tony shakes his head and walks over to Loki. “No. Nope.”

“I _did_ invade your planet. And I have done some other things you -”

“You can tell me about them one day,” Tony interrupts. “When you’re ready. And I’ll tell you about the stuff I did when I’m ready. Until then, we can just -” He rolled his eyes. “Well, you know. Keep being the messes we are and having fun in bed. Possibly also on the sofa on the community floor, just because I’d like to see Clint’s face.”

Loki looks at him, relaxing a little. He seems hesitant, but the hope in his eyes is obvious. “You do wish to stay with me, then?”

“I mean, yeah?” Tony nods slowly. “If you haven’t changed your mind. I know I’m -”

“You are perfectly fine as you are,” Loki finishes for him. “Now, may I touch you?”

Tony snorts. “You can even kiss me if you want.”

Loki breaks into a smile and puts his hands on Tony’s hips, pulling him closer. He kisses Tony’s forehead, long and sweet, and Tony has to laugh. He hides his face against Loki’s shoulder, content with just letting himself be held for a while.

x

The rest of the day is spent lazing around in the penthouse. Tony lies on top of Loki for literal hours while Loki plays with Tony’s hair and watches really bad afternoon TV, making fun of it out loud even though he knows that Tony is drifting in and out of sleep the whole time.

Eventually, Tony wakes up and feels good enough to stay awake, so he rests his arms on Loki's chest and peers up at him. 

"You look extraordinarily unimpressed," he says hoarsely.

Loki glances at him, then nods at the TV. "She chose the wrong shoes. They don't fit to the dress."

"How dare she."

Loki smiles. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah. You're a good pillow."

"I aspire to please."

Tony pauses, realizing that yes, he has been lying _on_ Loki for literal hours. "Aren't you uncomfortable? I can -"

Loki's hand comes up to rest on Tony's back. "No, it's fine. I don't mind. You weigh practically nothing."

So Tony stays where he is and keeps looking at Loki, thoughtful. Tony feels much better now - which doesn't mean that he isn't still hurt and worried, but at least he isn't furious anymore. He knows that Loki didn't do what he did with bad intent; it's just like Loki said himself, he made a mistake. Tony is many things, but he isn't resentful. He never actually forgets mistakes, but he can forgive them, and Loki - well, if there is someone worthy of Tony's forgiveness, it's definitely Loki. 

It's odd, maybe, how much Tony trusts him. Loki is only temporarily on the side of the Avengers, after all, and nobody would hear the word “trustworthy” and immediately go “yup, that’s Loki! Definitely the trustworthiest guy around here!”

Yeah, not really. 

Thing is, Tony _knows_ that, and he also knows that Loki has been trying very hard to earn Tony’s trust. And whenever Tony shows that Loki actually earned it, Loki still looks surprised - being given trust isn’t something he takes lightly or for granted, and that’s actually a nice change. Too many people expect Tony to trust them just because they hold this or that position or saved the world That One Time. With Loki, it’s basically the opposite. 

So, yes, everybody and their mother knows that Loki is a complicated person. But nobody except Tony knows what he’s like _with Tony,_ because that isn’t the face he shows to the rest of the team or to the public, not even to his brother. Loki hasn't yet done anything to prove that he _doesn't_ deserve Tony's trust as his partner and sub, because even after this morning, he came to Tony and desperately wanted to set things right between them. He _cares,_ and that alone is a lot more than many of Tony's past lovers were willing to do. He didn't want to care about them either, of course, but he does want to care about Loki now, and he _does._ He'd do just about everything to make him happy, and even dealing with Steve's condemnation and Fury's paranoia is a small price to pay as long as he can keep his brilliant, idiotic trickster god of a dom.

“Loki,” Tony says, and Loki yanks his eyes away from the TV to look at him.

“Yes?”

“I'm glad you're here. You know that, right?”

Judging by the surprise in Loki's eyes, he didn't until now. “I thought you would be mad at me for some time more.”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I'm still mad. _But_ you let me sleep on you for hours, that’s a good start if you want to make it up to me.”

"Ah." Loki seems both relieved and amused. "And what else can I do to get back into your good graces?"

"Uh, you can deal with Steve and Fury, and Thor. Because I don't want to talk to them for at least a few years."

Loki raises a brow. "Well, I do believe that the Captain has already been dealt with."

Tony blinks, and then he pushes himself up on his elbows and stares at Loki. "Shit, right. I forgot. You -"

"You forgot?" Loki echoes. "To be honest, I had hoped my efforts would make a larger impression."

Tony ignores him. Until now, everything else took up so much place in Tony's head that he didn't even think about what happened with Steve this morning. Now he remembers, though, and when he sits up, straddling Loki's legs, he can't keep from grinning.

"Steve has to be _so_ pissed."

"I'm sure he is," Loki says, unbothered.

"You know that he doesn't give up this easily, right? He did the clever thing this morning, giving in to you, but that won't last long. Tomorrow he'll be giving you shit again."

"If being rude to me keeps him from being rude to you, that is fine by me," Loki says. "He is not much more than a dog barking at me, I can handle that." 

Tony frowns. "I can handle him, too, you know. All of them"

"Oh, I know, you are more than capable. But well, your handling him consists more of ignoring him and taking it in stride, because you are a good man and willing to take one for the team, as they say.” He scowls just lightly, seemingly annoyed. "And here they are living in your house and eating your food and spending your money, and as far as I know they never even thanked you."

"I _invited_ them, Loki. And I like them - yes, even Steve, even though he's annoying. I don't need them to sing my praises the whole time."

"But they should," Loki insists. He props himself up on his elbows, looking at Tony. “ _I_ am not a good man, Anthony, and I can't stand seeing you disrespected. However, if you wish me to leave the Captain alone, I -”

“No,” Tony says, shaking his head. “Nah, it’s okay. Give him hell. You have _no_ idea how much I enjoyed what you did this morning.”

Loki’s expression softens, and then he smirks. “I have to admit that pranking him is fun. He really is awfully… vintage.”

Tony has to laugh. “Yeah, I know.” He gets an idea and puts his hands on Loki’s sides, grinning at him. “You know, you should include me in your pranks. I’d be happy to help."

Loki's face lights up like a kid's on Christmas morning. "Truly?"

"Sure, why not?"

"I thought you might… not approve," Loki says carefully. "So I wanted to keep it a surprise, be it a pleasant or unpleasant one."

"I like your pranks," Tony tells him, as gently as he can. "And you should definitely tell me what you’ve been up to this week already, except the glitter thing.”

“Oh.” Loki thinks about it for a moment, probably just to make show out of it. “Well, I had his earpiece play _American Idiot_ the whole time during the last battle - JARVIS suggested the song, he was very helpful. I also made all mirrors on Rogers’ floor show him a picture more appropriate for his age, and all his barbells are now too heavy for him to lift. I am playing with the thought to shapeshift into him and contact some high schools - because he is _such_ a good example, isn’t he? - but well, I haven’t gotten around to that yet.”

“Loki, honey.”

“Yes?”

“You’re _brilliant.”_

"I'm well aware. I also stole his compass.”

Tony stares at him. “His - you stole Steve’s _compass?_ The one with -”

“Yes,” Loki says, smugly. “That is what bothered him the most, I think.”

“Do you still have it?”

Loki raises a brow and flicks his wrist, taking the compass out of one of his pocket dimensions. He turns it in his hand, looking at it with little interest. “He suspects I have hidden it somewhere, otherwise he wouldn’t have been nearly as docile this morning.”

“God, Loki,” Tony says. “You’re cruel. Brilliant and cruel.”

“Thank you. Now, would you like to be the one to give it back to him? I’m certain that would drive the point home.”

Tony shakes his head. “No, just - just put it back under his pillow, or wherever he keeps it. It’s the most important thing to him, he’s probably heartbroken.”

Loki smiles. “A good man, like I said." He makes the compass disappear with another quick hand gesture. “But, as you wish. It’s back where it belongs.”

"Thanks." Tony looks away for a moment, thinking, then swallows and meets Loki's eyes again. "I mean it, thanks. I -"

But what can he say? Loki telling Steve off not because he thinks that Tony can't handle it himself, but because he's just so angry on Tony's behalf that he can't look away - that's a big deal. For Tony, anyway. Usually, people are angry _with_ him, not _for_ him.

Loki sits up slowly and places his hands on Tony's hips, careful as if he expects to be pushed away. Tony lets them rest there - of course he does. He feels as if he hasn't seen Loki all day, even though they have been lying around here for hours now. Tony _misses_ him - misses how comfortable they already were with each other. This newfound walking-on-eggshells caution is getting on his nerves.

Tony puts his own hand on Loki's and squeezes, and Loki understands and grabs him a little tighter. Tony relaxes into it and leans forward, grasping Loki's shirt.

"Anthony," Loki says.

"Yes, Loki?"

Loki looks at him, green eyes filled with a heavy sort of wonder. It's the exact same thing Tony feels himself - because everything is odd and complicated and possibly (most definitely) insane, but it's also _good,_ and he wonders how it all fits together. He wonders why he _doesn't_ want to run away, even though this is starting to get much too deep. He also wonders why Loki hasn't run away yet, either.

"I think," Loki says, very quietly. He pauses; Tony can watch his Adam's apple bop as he swallows. "I think I might be falling for you."

Oh, right. That's why.

Tony stares. The happiness in his chest feels almost out of place.

Loki clears his throat. "I have been… wondering about something."

Wait, so are they just going to ignore what Loki admitted? Or did Tony miss the right moment to say "same" and lean in for a kiss?

Shit.

Loki seems to take Tony's silence as encouragement, or maybe he just feels awkward and talks to feel less awkward. Either way, he says, "I called you mine this morning. And I understand that maybe I shouldn't have, given that we haven't spoken about it so far, but I do _want_ this to be…"

 _I will always protect what's mine,_ Loki said. Now the words echo in Tony's head. He feels oddly disoriented.

"Official?" he suggests, still looking at Loki with wide eyes.

Discontent scurries over Loki's face, makes his brows twitch and his mouth pull into a flat line. "Maybe this is a bad time, after what I did. Feel free to forget I said anything."

Tony shakes his head, holds Loki's shirt tighter. "We haven't even been together for that long."

"So?" Loki says. His voice has audible edges already; he's getting defensive. But a second later his expression smoothens again, contrition in his eyes as he looks away. "If you need more time or are uncertain, I won't pressure you. Just know that I _am_ certain."

"You are?"

Loki looks at him again and nods. He hesitates, then says, "I am reluctant to let go of you."

"You don't have to let go of me. I'm right here."

"I have lost too much to forget how sudden it can be. I do not want to lose you."

Oh. This is Loki wanting _reassurance,_ nothing more. This is Loki wanting Tony and wanting to keep him, but still giving him the room to decide it himself.

Well. Tony's old commitment issues be damned, he already _has_ decided.

"You're not going to lose me," Tony says firmly. He tugs at the collar of his green shirt. "I already _am_ yours, you idiot."

Loki blinks, and then he smiles, and then he _grins._ "Yes?"

"Yes."

"Even though I -"

_"Yes."_

Loki's hand cups his jaw, but soon reaches further down, his fingertips stroking over Tony's throat. His eyes follow the movement, awed. "Can I get you a collar?"

A collar. Never, not once in his life, has Tony worn a _collar._ He never wanted one, because there never was a dom he wanted to claim him like that. He was sure that Loki knew what a big deal it is on Earth, that collars are neither worn nor given casually. If Tony started to wear one, the whole world would freak out - _Tony Stark, owned? You're kidding._

Tony has always enjoyed doing unexpected things.


	6. Chapter 6

A few days and many, many unpleasant conversations (Thor, Steve, Pepper, Fury, Rhodey, Steve again) later, Tony locks himself up in his workshop because there are only so many people he can stand in a week, and enough is enough.

Meanwhile, Loki makes everyone pay for said unpleasant conversations - well, everyone except Pepper and Rhodey, because Tony made sure that Loki knows they are off limits. Thor and the others, though? Yeah, Tony told JARVIS to get everything on video. 

By now there is apparently some sort of prank war going on. According to JARVIS, Loki is winning (duh), but he's closely followed by Natasha and Clint, who unsurprisingly work together. Bruce spends most of the time in his lab, keeping out of trouble, and Thor lets it all pass him by; apparently he knows better than to even try and talk some sense into his brother's head. Steve however knows no such thing, and as it turns out Loki has mastered - and possibly invented - the art of making people livid by acting innocent and mockingly polite. Tony hasn't yet figured out what Loki has done to Fury, but judging by the amount of angry voicemails he gets every day, it's not pretty.

The whole thing is brilliant, and Tony will be all over Loki as soon as he's worked enough that his head is clear again.

Or until he passes out on the floor in his workshop, at least.

He figures that's what happened, because when someone gently nudges him a few times, Tony has no recollection of how he ended up on the floor in the first place. He makes a few reluctant sounds, hoping that whoever is bothering him will leave him alone, but sadly, they are insistent.

“Anthony,” Loki says softly. “Elskling, I think it’s time for a break.”

Oh. Tony wakes up a bit more and opens his eyes, looking up at Loki, who is crouching right next to him. “You think?” he says around a yawn, and Loki huffs.

“Let's get you to bed, yes?" 

Tony nods and before he can even try to stand, Loki has already gathered him up, his hands below Tony's thighs. Tony doesn't even try to pretend that he doesn't like this, he just wraps his legs around Loki's hips and his arms around his shoulder.

“Better than walking,” he murmurs, resting his head against Loki's chest.

“Don't get used to it,” Loki says, but it sounds fond, and Tony is sure that he's smiling.

Up in their bedroom, Loki undresses Tony quickly and gently before he nudges him into the bed. Tony feels like he's going to pass out as soon as his head hits the pillow, but to his own surprise he stays awake long enough to feel Loki curling up behind him, his arms firmly wrapped around Tony's middle. Tony relaxes into it with a content sigh, and Loki presses his lips to the back of Tony's neck.

“Sleep,” he says gently, “for a few hours, at least.”

Tony's lips twitch into a tired smirk. “That an order?”

Loki snorts softly. “Just sleep, pet.”

So Tony sleeps.

x

Loki is still there when Tony wakes up, and he's also sound asleep. It feels like they haven't moved at all in the last few hours; Tony's left arm has gone numb and is going to start to tingle like hell as soon as he moves it.

He's comfortable, though. Waking up in Loki's arms is just  _ nice,  _ because his body is cool enough that Tony never wakes up sweaty and overheated, even though Loki always wraps himself around Tony like some kind of tall, dark and handsome octopus.

But well, as nice as that is, Tony really needs to use the bathroom, and also he is hungry. He can't even remember the last time he ate a proper meal - it was before his inventing binge, probably.

Tony tugs at Loki's arm, trying to get Loki to loosen his grip. Loki is not impressed; he just keeps on sleeping and holding Tony tightly against his chest.

“Loki?”

Nothing.

Tony tugs at Loki again. “Loki.”

Finally, Loki moves, although the noise he makes sounds very reluctant. 

“Loki, honey. Light of my life. I need to pee.”

Loki groans softly and lets go of Tony, rolling onto his back. Tony sits up and looks at Loki, who hasn't even opened his eyes yet. 

Tony has to smile. “You're adorable.”

Loki's eyes remain closed. “Didn't you need to go to the bathroom?”

Tony is thoroughly charmed by Loki's sleep-soft voice, but he does need to pee, and so he gets out of bed to pee and also take a shower, because after a few days in the workshop he kind of stinks. When he's out of the shower and brushing his teeth, there is a knock on the door and Loki comes in, already running a hand through his hair to get his messy curls under control.

“I could've been peeing,” Tony says around the toothbrush in his mouth.

“I knew you weren't.”

Tony makes a face. Loki's good hearing is fascinating most of the time, but Tony doesn't want to think about Loki being able to hear, well, everything. “Gross.”

“Apologies.” Loki kisses Tony's cheek as he passes him on his way to the shower. “Lay out some clothes for me, will you? Just something comfortable.”

Yeah, that definitely makes up for all the grossness. Tony nods, grinning to himself. Before he leaves the bathroom, he makes sure that a towel is within Loki's reach. Then he fetches some clothes from their closet and puts them on the bed for Loki, just something casual and comfortable like Loki said, which is good because Tony already hoped that they will spend the day alone in the penthouse and preferably in bed. 

Loki is still in the shower, so Tony goes to the kitchen to make breakfast. Loki brought food down to the workshop a few times, but Tony never has much time to eat when he’s working, so now vast amounts of bacon are in order. And coffee. 

Lots of coffee.

It doesn’t take long until he hears Loki’s steps in the hallway, and when Tony looks over his shoulder, Loki is already standing right behind him. He puts his hands on Tony’s sides and rests his chin on Tony’s shoulder; Tony can feel Loki’s still damp hair tickling his neck.

“Have I ever told you that you are a good cook?” Loki says, sounding oddly thoughtful.

Tony snorts. “It’s just bacon, Lokes. That’s not very difficult.”

“You prepared dinner for us often enough.”

“Yeah, well. Cooking isn’t very hard. Do as the recipe says and you’re good.”

“And you happen to be very good at creating things,” Loki adds. “Including meals, it seems.” He pauses. “I do well enough at providing for myself in the wild, but my cooking talent goes no further than that, I’m afraid. But if you would like to sit down, I can -”

“It’s fine,” Tony interrupts, smiling. “You sit down. I already made tea, it should be done steeping.”

Loki presses his lips to Tony’s neck and then goes to take his tea and sit down at the table. He keeps watching Tony, and his fingers play with the cup as if he can’t make them hold still. Tony knows that something is up, but he waits until he puts two plates of food on the table, then he raises a brow at Loki.

“Something wrong?”

Loki shakes his head.

Tony lets his other eyebrow join the first. “You sure?”

“I’m fine. But I do wonder -” He trails off. 

“Spit it out, sweetheart,” Tony says and turns to fill his mug with fresh coffee. He’s starting to get a little nervous himself, because he hasn’t forgotten the fight they had yet and is sure that Loki hasn’t, either. Returning to the table with his now full mug, he sits down next to Loki and watches him, waiting for an answer.

Loki seems hesitant, which isn’t a new sight by now, but still somewhat worrying. “Do you really enjoy this?”

Tony squints at him. “This, as in having breakfast with you?”

“As in making breakfast for me,” Loki corrects. He looks at Tony attentively, more curious than hesitant now. “Or fetching clothes for me.”

Tony leans back in his chair, his hands wrapped around his mug. “You know I enjoy that. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have been doing it since the start.”

Loki inclines his head, thinking, but he doesn’t say anything. 

Tony watches him for a while, and eventually he has to laugh, because confused Loki is an oddly charming sight. “Alright, Prancer, what’s bamboozling you?”

Loki wrinkles his nose at Tony’s word choice, but that only makes Tony’s grin widen. Loki primly takes a sip of tea, then he says, “Perhaps I should have asked about this sooner.”

“Well, I’m listening.”

“You see,” Loki says, putting down his cup, “I grew up in a palace filled to the brim with servants, and although none of them actually respected me, they still fulfilled my every wish. It was… normal for me and rather boring for them, I assume.” He pauses, then adds, “Boring for me, too, at times.”

“Okay,” Tony says slowly and chews on his bacon, trying to understand what Loki is saying between the lines. “Are you asking me why I enjoy serving you or why  _ you  _ enjoy it?”

Loki frowns. “Well, I do know why I enjoy it.”

The way he said it makes Tony raise his brows again. “Yeah, now I’m curious.”

Loki doesn’t answer immediately, and he doesn’t meet Tony’s eyes for quite some time. “Like I said,” he says finally, “none of those servants actually respected me. I was their prince, yes, but I was never… well liked.” He quietly clears his throat. There is a hint of color on his usually pale cheeks. “It is pleasant to be served by somebody who… does like me.”

He finishes his sentence a bit lamely, but that only makes Tony smile more warmly. “You’re adorable, you know.”

“No.”

“Yes, you are. The most adorable dom I’ve ever seen.”

“Anthony.”

There’s a warning note in Loki’s voice, but since he is embarrassed, not annoyed, Tony just grins and leans forward to pat Loki’s hand. “I like it when you’re adorable. And, yep, I like and respect you very much, and all those servants can go fuck themselves.”

Loki’s expression goes from embarrassed to pleased at once, and he takes Tony’s hand and squeezes it. He seems thankful, and suddenly Tony knows exactly how Loki feels every time Tony talks about his former doms - angry and willing to fuck shit up because  _ god, _ Tony swears he’s going to obliterate everyone who thinks that disrespecting Loki is a good idea. How fiercely protective of Loki he feels is a surprise, although it really shouldn’t be; he’s a sub, sure, but Tony has still always been protective of the people he loves.

Maybe that last thought should scare him, but it doesn’t. He’s still smiling.

“I grew up with servants, too,” he says around a mouthful of scrambled eggs. “We lived in that giant building right next to Central Park - nothing compared to your palace, I’m sure, but still. There were a concierge and maids and butlers and everything, you get the gist. I hated it. Felt like I never had a single moment to myself.”

“That does sound familiar,” Loki says, but he still seems a bit confused. “But if somebody asked me to serve them now, I would kill them.”

“And the fact that you’re serious is not at all worrying,” Tony says lightly. He decides that stuffing more bacon into his mouth is better than thinking about his lover’s slight homicidal tendencies. He’s about seventy percent sure that’s just a coping mechanism, anyway.

Loki ignores him. “You, however…”

“Yeah, I like it. But I’m a sub, I’m supposed to like serving people.”

“I find it surprising that you do.” Loki pauses, looking pensive again. “I knew subs who did it constantly, and almost unknowingly, for everyone. But I have never seen you do it for someone else.”

“Maybe it’s your regal aura.”

Loki seems unimpressed. 

“I just mean - okay, look." Tony takes a breath. "I never really  _ loved _ kneeling for anyone, either. I mean, it was fine, it got me what I wanted, but it also got me sore knees and an at times not very nice view of people’s crotches. Not everyone’s as aesthetically pleasing as you, you know.”

“Thank you, I suppose.”

“Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, I  _ like _ kneeling for you. And I like doing stuff like this,” he gestures at their breakfast, "for you."

“Because of my regal aura,” Loki deadpans.

“Because I like you. A lot. And I -” Tony stops, forces himself to think about what he wants to say. “Look, I never stayed with a dom long enough to be with them in any way that wasn't sexual. 'Cause that would have been - I just didn't want it to get too intimate.”

Loki doesn't look like he  _ knows,  _ but like he can at least make an accurate guess. “But you do like it with me?”

“Yeah,” Tony says, at once. He doesn't have to think about it. “I want -”

But what can he say? He's already blushing, he feels like every other word will just make that worse. Thing is, he wants Loki to be  _ completely _ sure of how much Tony adores him. He doesn't want there to be any room left for doubt. Because while the surprise that shows on Loki's face so often when Tony submits to him unprompted is adorable, the serene confidence that follows makes Tony go fucking weak in the knees, and he  _ loves _ that. He loves it when Loki's hands are sure and steady, when he  _ knows _ that Tony will follow his commands without acting up; that's brilliant. None of the theatrics Tony remembers from Stuttgart - just Loki, although there's nothing  _ just _ about him. Tony loves that, because if there's anyone who deserves Tony kneeling for them and doing all the other submissive stuff that he never thought he'd enjoy this much, yup, Tony has found them. He's found  _ Loki,  _ and he is incredibly reluctant to ever let him go again.

And with Loki, even too intimate feels not intimate  _ enough. _

“It's just - nice,” Tony says finally, and it feels more than a little underwhelming.

He's not very good at this.

“Is it?” Loki asks, an amused glint in his eyes.

Tony nods and eats some more bacon. It's a bit cold by now, but he doesn’t really care. He has to keep his hands busy somehow. And his mouth, too, apparently, because for some reason he is talking again.

“You deserve to have nice things, you know. And I'm not talking about blowjobs here, though you definitely deserve lots of them, too. I'm talking about breakfast and - I don't know. Everything. I just like it when you're comfortable and I like doing stuff for you, because it's nice and easy and there's no constant - performance pressure, you know? I mean, cooking bacon is something I can't really fuck up, so that's nice. And when you're pleased, I'm pleased. Everybody's pleased. Do you want more tea?”

“I have something for you,” Loki says.

The answer does not make a lot of sense to Tony, who is already reaching for Loki's cup to give him a refill. He stops in the middle of the movement and stares at Loki. “What?”

“I have something for you,” Loki repeats. He's looking at Tony out of unusually wide eyes, as if he's - no, not uncertain. Just nervous.

Tony swallows. “Is that - a no to the tea, then?”

“I'd be very grateful if you could forget about the tea for a few minutes,” Loki says.

“You know, coming from you, that's a bit worrying. Do you -”

Tony stops, because suddenly there is something in Loki's hand, and Loki puts it on the table and carefully pushes it in Tony's direction.

Tony stares at it. And it's not like he is surprised, because he isn't. Because they did talk about this, and Loki did ask if he could get Tony a collar, and Tony did say yes.

Actually  _ seeing _ the collar is a big deal, though.

It's a pretty thing. Black leather - Tony would probably have chosen brown, that suits him better, but he does realize that black is Loki's color, and that is sort of the whole point. The leather looks soft and worn, but the seams are neat and Tony can tell that while the leather isn't new, the collar as a whole is. It's barely as broad as two fingers. Tony is surprised by how discreet it is; knowing Loki, he expected something a bit more… flashy, perhaps. Stylish, but flashy. But the only flashy thing about this collar is the golden ring at the front, and the two small stones that are embedded in the leather on each side of the ring. Emeralds, judging by their green shine.

Tony's fingers twitch. He wants to put the collar on  _ right this second,  _ but he also doesn't want to put it on himself.

“If you changed your mind,” Loki says very carefully, “that would be fine. I - “

Tony shakes his head, and Loki falls silent. His hands are on the edge of the table, fidgeting slightly. Tony feels like his brain has decided to go into early retirement. He feels awkward sitting on his chair: he wants to be on his knees instead and he wants to feel Loki’s hands buckle the collar around Tony’s neck, and he wants it so desperately that it’s suddenly just too much.

“Come here,” Loki says, and his gentle voice takes Tony’s rising panic and throws it out of the window. “On your knees.”

Oh, thank god.

Tony slides off his chair and shuffles forward on his knees until he’s right in front of Loki, who immediately leans down and runs a careful hand through Tony’s hair, scratching lightly behind his ear. Tony snorts, but the touch calms him down and so he leans into it, letting Loki pet him until Tony doesn’t feel like he just dropped ten stories in an impossibly fast elevator anymore.

“I know how much it means, here on Earth,” Loki says softly. “And I find myself wanting to claim you like that very much. But if it’s too soon, I understand, and I can wait.”

Tony realizes that he closed his eyes and now forces himself to open them again and look at Loki. The god’s expression isn’t even disappointed, just fond and… open. Tony has to swallow.

“You don’t have to wait,” he says, clearing his throat when he hears how rough his voice is. He’s blushing again. “It’s - it’s fine. I - yeah, I mean, it’s like you said, it means a lot, a collar is like - for me - I don’t even know right now, I never - I’ve never had one before. Never. And I -”

“Hush,” Loki interrupts him. “Breathe, darling.”

Tony takes a few breaths, then says, “Sorry.”

“It’s quite alright. This is new for me, too.”

“Yeah?”

Loki nods, his mouth twitches. “I spent the last few days fussing over that damned thing. Nothing was good enough for you, and it still isn’t.”

“It’s pretty,” Tony argues, craning his head to see the collar that’s still lying on the table. “Screams your name, kind of. If I wear that, it’s - everybody will know.”

Loki frowns slightly, concerned. “I won’t make you wear it in public if that makes you uncomfortable. If you just want to wear it when we play, then that is fine with me.”

That is. A good idea, actually. Not that Tony doesn’t want anyone to know that they are a thing - he wants  _ everyone _ to know that they are a thing -, but he knows that he can start feeling restricted pretty quickly, so not wearing the collar twenty four seven might be a good option. At the moment Tony can’t imagine taking the collar off once he puts it on, but that the possibility is there is sort of calming. He isn’t sure if other doms would be happy with that - the ones he’s been with certainly wouldn’t -, but maybe this is another point where Loki proves that he’s, well. Amazingly considerate.

“That wouldn’t bother you?” Tony asks slowly, looking at Loki again. “I don’t think - I don’t know what it’s like in Asgard, but here owned subs always wear some kind of sign that they’re owned, and a dom wouldn’t let their sub walk around without one.”

“Oh, I understand and appreciate that sentiment,” Loki says, “but I think we both know that you are mine, don’t we?”

Tony shifts on his knees a little, warmth starting to gather in his belly. “Yes, Loki.”

Loki smiles, and it’s a brilliant smile, bright and happy. “We will handle it in the way that suits your needs, my love, and that is all we have to care about. I will enjoy having you wear my collar, but only when you enjoy wearing it.”

“Fuck,” Tony says.

“Excuse me?”

“I’m in love with you, you know. You’re brilliant.”

Loki doesn’t move for a long moment. He stares at Tony like he’s wondering if he is imagining things. “Are you - do you mean that?”

“Yeah, I do. Now give me that thing and take me to the bedroom or I  _ swear _ I’m going to explode.”

“Well,” Loki says slowly. “We can’t have that.”

He’s starting to smile again, and Tony wants to kiss him. Or suck him off. Maybe both? Hell, Tony would be fine with everything right now, as long as it allows him to get closer to Loki. He’s already thinking about how he can get Loki to undress within the next ten seconds when Loki reaches for the collar, and that is when Tony’s brain forgets its plans and decides to turn into an excited pile of nerves instead.

“You do want this, then?” Loki asks, his voice calm and steady, eyes soft.

“Yes,” Tony says, at once. “Please, Loki.”

Loki seems pleased. He smiles and his eyes darken just a bit, pupils dilated. “Lift your chin for me.”

Tony obeys. He stares up at Loki as he fastens the collar around Tony’s neck, and Loki holds his gaze without looking away even once. The leather is soft and feels good on Tony’s skin, the golden ring is cold but quickly warms up to his body temperature. He adjusts to the feeling within seconds, and something inside of him just… settles.  _ Owned _ is a word that always frightened him, but if it feels like this, god, he’s all for it. Sure, he’s been thinking about Loki as his dom for quite some time now, but this makes it real. Undeniable. Loki is  _ his. _

“You like it,” Loki says quietly, fingertips stroking over the collar.

Tony nods firmly, and Loki’s answering smile makes him dizzy.

“My colors suit you, pet. Stand up.”

Tony’s legs feel like mush. Thankfully, Loki grabs his arm and helps him up, and then he stands himself. He puts his hands on Tony’s hips and lifts him up to make him sit on the table, which is good because Tony really doesn’t feel like standing at the moment. He feels like kneeling, or like lying down with Loki on top of him. But if Loki wants him to sit on the table, fine. Tony will sit on the table.

Loki’s hands are on his thighs, spreading Tony’s legs so that Loki can stand between them. He lets his fingers wander up to Tony’s hips and leans in until Tony could kiss him just by lifting his chin a bit.

“I made it myself,” Loki says, squeezing Tony’s hips. “With magic. I used leather of my armour,” he kisses Tony’s jaw, lets his lips trail to his ear, “and I took the stones from one of my first daggers.”

Tony feels Loki’s teeth on his earlobe and lets out a ragged breath, hands reaching out on their own volition to grasp Loki’s shirt. The thought of Loki’s daggers and his armour, that he made the collar himself, makes it hard to think. “Can I - can I see?”

The question seems to surprise Loki, because he pulls back a little and meets Tony’s eyes, arching a brow. “My dagger?”

Tony nods, pulls Loki closer by his shirt. “Please.”

“Is that an euphemism, pet?”

Tony has to laugh, and Loki grins right back at him, showing his teeth. He lets go of Tony’s hips and plucks a small dagger from who knows where. He lets it rest on his fingertips, obviously used to its weight and the feel of it in his hands. Tony has seen this knife before; Loki often uses it both in sparring and in battles. The blade is relatively short, but Tony knows it’s sharp enough to cut flesh like butter. It’s like Loki, pretty and lethal. The black handle is decorated with green and black gemstones, and two of the small emeralds are missing.

This is exactly where the problems started, Tony remembers. Loki’s skilled hands wielding daggers, his sharp smiles. It’s not a problem anymore, of course, because now Tony can ask for Loki’s hands whenever he wants, and Loki so enjoys touching him.

Right now, and very suddenly, Tony thinks that maybe he should ask for Loki’s  _ daggers, _ too.

“They do not use collars in Asgard,” Loki says, almost conversationally. He’s watching Tony’s face very closely. “They announce their claim on each other differently. I was sure you wouldn’t be fond of their methods, so I decided to use the emeralds instead. A homage, if you will.”

Loki speaks of the Asgardians as if he isn’t one of them, which he, Tony supposes, isn’t. But judging by the way he sounds and how he speaks of those ‘methods’ _ , _ he himself is rather fond of this particular one. Oh, and Tony can guess where this goes, and he isn’t sure if he likes it or not. His body at least seems to approve, his cock is already hard and straining against his jeans.

Loki notices his interest, because of course he does. Something like surprise flickers up on his face, but only briefly, then his eyes darken and his lips open slightly, making Tony want to kiss them even more.

“This way of living is not the norm in Asgard,” he says and turns the dagger in his fingers, letting the dark blade catch the light. “There are very few submissives, and they are very… precious. You will see them wearing the sign that they are  _ owned,” _ he keeps the knife in one hand and cups Tony’s chin with the other, making him look away from the dagger and into Loki’s eyes, “on their skin.”

Tony stares at him, his breaths shallow. His voice is rough when he asks, “Your name?”

“My name,” Loki agrees. “Or maybe a rune or some other kind of symbol I consider mine.”

Oh god. A shiver runs down Tony’s spine, giving him goosebumps. He swallows thickly. “Do you - do you want that?”

Loki’s face betrays nothing. “When we talked about limits, you mentioned blades and blood.” He lets the dagger sink. “I know you don’t -”

Tony grabs Loki’s arm before he can make the knife disappear again. “Do you  _ want _ that, Loki?”

Loki sucks in a breath. “Yes.”

Yes.

That’s all Tony needs to know, really. Because for him, the collar is final. The collar means  _ this is it, _ it means  _ he’s mine, _ it means  _ nobody will take him away from me.  _ And Loki gave him that, because he knows that they both need it. He made the collar even though the Aesir don’t  _ do _ collars, and while Loki isn’t an Aesir, he still grew up there. Their traditions, their methods, they mean something to him. So that also explains why the thought of Tony taking the collar off doesn’t freak Loki out - because what he actually wants is for Tony to wear Loki’s mark  _ on his skin. _

God, Tony should be pissed at him. Loki is supposed to tell him stuff like this, for heaven's sake. That's what they  _ agreed _ on a week ago, isn’t it? Honesty and everything. But Tony can't be pissed, because he knows that Loki just didn't want to make him uncomfortable by asking for something that Tony listed as a limit in the beginning, that he's just trying what they have both been trying since they got together - to do everything right.

“Okay,” Tony says. “Okay.”

Loki is still frowning. “Please don't agree to this just for my sake. The collar you can take off, but this -”

“The collar means everything to me,” Tony cuts him off. “And if that - if this means half as much to you, then I want you to have it.”

Loki doesn't seem convinced, but it's clear as day that he  _ wants _ it. Finally, he says, “You are being very… lovely. And I appreciate it, but I - I need you to be sure.”

_ I am sure,  _ Tony wants to say.  _ I am.  _ And he is. But he also understands that Loki is hesitant about this, not because he doesn't want it, but because he needs to be  _ entirely _ sure that Tony wants it, too. Maybe he needs Tony to think about it for a few days instead of a few minutes, and Tony can give that to him.

Still, there is one thing they can do, other than just thinking about it.

“Why don't we try it, then?” Tony suggests, softly. “You're a genius with knives, you can cut me without leaving scars. The cuts will fade soon, or you can heal them, and if I miss them, you can do it again. And when I miss them when they fade  _ again,  _ we can do it properly.”

Loki looks at him for a long moment while he mulls it over. He puts the dagger aside and lifts his hand to touch the collar, tracing the golden ring with his fingertips. “You would let me do that?”

There’s a spark of anxiety, but it quickly morphs into anticipation and resolve. Tony nods and says, as firmly as he can, “I trust you.”

Loki lets out a breath and leans forward, resting his forehead against Tony's. It takes a while until he speaks again. “It will hurt.”

Oh, yes. It won’t just hurt, it will  _ sting.  _ The pain of cuts can’t be compared to that of a spanking or a whipping, and although Tony is definitely a masochist, he doesn’t usually enjoy bleeding in bed. He never trusted anyone enough for that, never trusted anyone to make it feel  _ good. _ Loki, though? God, Tony’s watched him train with his knives and got a hard-on just from that. He always had a thing for danger and for competence, and Loki embodies both like no other person Tony has met. 

And still - Tony also never met anybody who can make him feel as safe as Loki can. Giving himself to him is almost too easy, and at times it still frightens Tony how much he enjoys it. How much he  _ needs  _ it.

“I want it to hurt,” Tony whispers, looking right into Loki’s eyes. He puts his hands on Loki's shoulders, wanting to keep him close. “I like it when you hurt me. And I want -” He has to stop and take a breath. One of his hands finds its way to Loki's hair, grasping at the soft strands. “I need you to show me that I'm yours.”

See, this is a failsafe method. Because as soon as Loki knows that Tony needs something, he will eagerly and immediately try his very best to give it to him. And so his hand tightens its hold on Tony's hip and his eyes go dark and determined, and the uncertainty leaves as if it was never there.

“Oh,” he says, “I can do that.”

x

In the middle of the bedroom, Tony stops.

There is a full length mirror on the door that leads to their walk-in closet, and since he got a glimpse of his reflection a few seconds ago, he can't stop staring at it. He remembers that Loki ordered him to undress and get on the bed, but his fingers are busy feeling the collar that sits comfortably around his neck.

He never thought he'd see himself wearing a collar.

There never was anyone he would have allowed to put a collar on him. Not even Pepper, not even if she had asked, but well. She never asked. (Nobody except Loki has ever asked.) If she knew that Tony is now wearing Loki’s collar, she’d probably think that the real Tony was abducted by aliens who left behind a convincing imitator in his place.

“Is something wrong?”

Tony catches Loki’s eye in the mirror and shakes his head. Loki quirks a brow and crosses the room to join Tony in front of the mirror, placing a grounding hand on his lower back. Tony leans into it and smiles when Loki bends and kisses Tony’s cheek.

“It’ll take some time getting used to,” Tony says quietly. “I never thought anybody would - want me. Like this.”

“Fools,” Loki murmurs. “All of them.” He puts a hand on Tony’s belly and pulls him back until he is pressed against Loki’s chest. His warm breath brushes Tony’s ear. “Shall I tell you how much I want you, my darling?”

His voice is low enough to make Tony shiver. His breaths become shallow as Loki nuzzles Tony’s jaw, lips forming a smile against his skin. It’s ridiculous how easily Loki can make him melt; just a few sultry words and some almost innocent touches and Tony is goddamn putty in his hands.

Loki’s hand wanders under Tony’s shirt and moves downward. He soon opens the button of Tony’s pants, promising touches of a far less innocent sort. His smile widens. “Or shall I show you?”

God, yes. This is exactly what Tony needs right now - hand everything over to Loki, let him take care of him until there is no room left for doubt, just like Tony wanted. He puts his hand on Loki’s arm, not to stop him, just because he needs something to hold onto.

“Yes,” he says, already hoarse. “Please, Loki.”

“Lovely boy.” Loki chuckles softly when Tony blushes in reaction to the praise. “It will be my pleasure.”

His fingertips trail over the soft hair on Tony’s belly, and Tony is already aching for Loki’s hand to slip into Tony’s pants and touch him  _ properly. _ But first, Loki grabs the hem of Tony’s shirt and pulls it over his head. Immediately, he draws Tony close against his chest again, fingers of his right hand roaming over Tony’s upper body while the other fiddles with the zipper.

“I want to ruin you this morning,” Loki whispers into Tony’s ear. "And you so enjoy it when I use you until you're wrung out and pliant. What do you think?”

Tony thinks that he won’t be able to walk at the end of the day. He's surprisingly fine with that.

“I think that sounds like a plan,” he says, gasping and squirming when Loki reaches into Tony’s pants to grasp his hardening cock. “Loki -”

“Stand still, pet.”

Tony is used to hearing the endearment by now, but it still causes him to shudder when Loki says it like this - sternly and darkly, a warning hovering right underneath the velvety sound of his voice. It makes every fibre of Tony’s body want to obey, and so he holds still even when Loki pushes Tony’s pants down his hips so that he can squeeze Tony’s cock more comfortably. Loki’s fingers feel cool even through the fabric of Tony’s boxers, and their touch is firm and skilled. Tony leans back against Loki’s chest, his head on his lover’s shoulder, and his eyes flutter shut. 

“Ah, no.” Loki’s other hand is on Tony’s neck, suddenly, grasping the collar and tugging. “Keep your eyes open. You wear my collar so well, I want you to see yourself.”

Tony bites his tongue to stifle a groan and opens his eyes, staring at their reflections. Just for the record, Tony doesn’t have a problem with looking at himself; he’s pretty comfortable and confident in his body, all in all. He knows he’s hot, and he knows that Loki agrees with that wholeheartedly. Still, there is the collar now, which reminds him that he belongs to Loki now, which makes him lightheaded and pliant, which  _ makes it hard to stand. _ And there is the arc reactor, too, and the scars surrounding it, and he definitely is  _ not _ confident about that part of his body.

He concentrates on Loki, in the end. And Loki smiles at him, his mouth still close to Tony’s ear. A knowing look in his eyes that makes his features soften. He doesn’t say anything, though, just holds Tony’s gaze and keeps touching him. His fingers are suddenly slick when they finally reach into Tony’s boxers to wrap around his cock, and Tony can’t keep his hips from twitching in reaction. 

The nails of Loki’s other hand dig into his neck. “Stand still, or I’ll stop.”

_ Tie me up, _ Tony wants to reply,  _ or hold me down yourself, _ but he doesn’t manage more than two words because he is distracted by both Loki’s tightening grip on the collar and the movements of his other hand that has started stroking Tony in earnest. Loki takes care not to put too much pressure on Tony’s throat, knowing that makes him anxious, and since Tony knows that Loki knows and respects that, Loki’s hand on his neck, on his  _ collar, _ feels goddamn fantastic. He concentrates on that, on how good it feels to be in Loki’s arms like this, at his mercy, and he wants Loki to keep his promise and  _ wreck _ him.

Suddenly, Loki lets go of him and pushes him forward, unexpected but not hard enough to make Tony stumble. “Your hands on the mirror,” Loki orders in the same moment, and Tony scrambles to obey.

He puts his hands flat on the glass and arches his back, spreading his legs as far as his pants allow. They’re still hanging somewhere around his knees, and Tony knows what he looks like - wanton and eager, desperate already. The blush crawls all the way up to the tips of his ears, Tony can see it in the mirror. The brown of his eyes is barely visible anymore.

“So handsome,” Loki purrs, slowly stroking over Tony’s back. 

Tony can’t see him anymore, he’s standing too close to the mirror for that, but he  _ hears _ how pleased Loki is, how awed. Tony’s mind goes blank with it, the desire to submit just taking over. And Loki makes it so easy that Tony isn’t even frightened anymore.

Loki’s fingers travel up Tony’s spine until they reach his hair. He takes a few strands and pulls Tony’s head back as far as it will go, so that they can look at each other through the mirror. Loki is grinning, but there is something artless about it, something absent, it’s not one of his thought-out razor smiles. It’s something better - a raw sort of desire, of awe, that reaches his eyes and makes them dark and greedy.

“I wonder how much more handsome you will be after I use the dagger,” Loki says, and there’s a hunger in his voice that Tony hasn’t heard before, or maybe it’s just never been this intense.

Either way, Tony fucking loves it.

Sadly, Loki lets go of Tony’s hair. Tony isn’t disappointed for too long, because then Loki starts caressing the curve of Tony’s ass, squeezing his flesh. Tony keeps his head up even though his neck will complain about that later; he doesn’t want to look away from Loki. He does close his eyes when he feels two slick fingers tease his hole. 

“I will enjoy cutting your lovely skin,” Loki says, his tone casual, “and leaving my mark on you. And I think -” He pushes his fingers into Tony hard, making him keen. “I think you will enjoy bleeding for me. Won’t you, pet?”

Tony can’t answer, he is busy panting and adjusting to the feeling of Loki’s fingers in his ass. God, he loves Loki’s fingers - his hands are huge, his fingers long and dextrous, and after almost a week in the workshop Tony  _ is _ desperate for this.

“I asked you something,” Loki reminds him kindly. He starts to slowly move his fingers, and his other hand reaches down and returns to Tony’s cock.

“Fuck, yes,” Tony gets out, which is probably not exactly the reply Loki had in mind, but whatever. He can’t touch Tony like this and still expect him to be coherent. “Yes -”

“Is that a yes to the bleeding, love?”

Tony whines, frustrated. The thought of blood makes him a bit anxious, but right now that only adds to his arousal and makes him more needy, and Loki’s hands feel so  _ good.  _ And, god, if Loki wants Tony to bleed for him, Tony wants it, too. He wants  _ everything _ Loki can give him, do to him, and more.

Pushing his limits has always been a thing for him.

Loki usually takes his sweet time bringing Tony to the edge, and his hands move torturously slowly now, too. He fucks Tony with his fingers, stretching him and brushing against his prostate every so often, and his fist around Tony’s cock is tight and slick and feels just perfect. Tony’s been turned on since Loki put the collar on him - since he got out of bed, actually - and now he’s close already, turning to putty in Loki’s hands. Tony doesn’t want to come so soon, but soon he is begging and there is nothing whatsoever he can do about it. 

“Please - Loki,  _ Loki, _ please -”

“You may come,” Loki tells him, pulling his fingers out of Tony and putting his hand on Tony’s back instead to hold him still. 

His other hand picks up speed, working Tony’s cock quickly and expertly. It doesn’t take long and Tony is coming, but in that exact moment Loki lets go of Tony’s cock, and that is just fucking mean. Tony whimpers, his cum hitting the mirror, and humps the air while a rather underwhelming orgasm trickles through him. Panting, he lets his forehead drop against the mirror. If not for Loki’s hands holding him up, Tony’s legs would probably give way beneath him. His thighs are already trembling. God, he hates ruined orgasms; he’s just too much of a hedonist for that. He also happens to love it when Loki proves that he is in control, though, so a part of him enjoyed it. Immensely. 

“Fucking sadist,” he mutters, weakly.

“Oh, hush,” Loki says, petting Tony’s back. “Come here, sweet.”

Loki keeps his hands on Tony’s body, making sure that he doesn’t falter as he straightens and turns. He lets Tony lean against the mirror and catch his breath. The kisses he presses to Tony’s cheek and jaw are doubtlessly supposed to distract him from the frustration. And damn him, but it works; the only thing Tony wants right now is to enjoy Loki’s attention and endure all the other evil things his god is planning.

“You’re so good for me,” Loki says earnestly, looking at Tony. He smiles and brushes Tony’s already slightly sweaty hair out of his face. “Do you need a break?”

“M’fine,” Tony sighs, and Loki kisses him gently on the lips.

“I’ll make you feel very good soon, I promise. Now take off your pants, hm?” 

Tony nods and steps out of his pants and boxers, fully aware that Loki is playing with the ring at the front of the collar. When Tony is finally completely naked, Loki hooks a finger through the ring and leads Tony to the bed, which. Yeah.  _ God.  _

Loki sits down on the edge of the bed, his legs already spread. “Kneel.”

Tony sinks to his knees, his eyes fixed on Loki. 

“Maybe I should get you a leash,” Loki says. His hand is back in Tony’s hair, its grip tight. “Keep you kneeling by my feet for hours, like the precious pet you are.”

Tony swallows, hard, and Loki smiles.

“You would like that, wouldn’t you? My, you’re already getting hard again.” He cups Tony’s chin, his thumb on his lower lip. “Do you want to suck me?”

Tony gives him a crooked grin. “Yes, Loki.”

“Go ahead, then.”

Tony moves closer on his knees and reaches up to touch the very obvious bulge in Loki’s pants. He watches as Loki’s eyes widen just a bit and his smirking mouth opens, and Tony has to smile himself. He tugs at Loki’s pants to free his cock. It’s thick and hard and Tony  _ wants  _ it, and so he doesn’t hesitate. He loves sucking Loki off, because Loki makes the most amazing sounds and by now he’s also figured out that Tony doesn’t mind it when he’s a little rougher. And when Loki’s hand in Tony’s hair tightens and he starts fucking Tony’s mouth, making him swallow even the last inch, Tony is in  _ heaven. _ He never really thought that he was born to be on his knees in front of anybody, but with Loki, this just feels right. 

Fine, Tony briefly considers pulling off in the exact last second to give Loki a taste of his own medicine, but in the end that’s not really what he wants. What he wants is Loki’s pleasure - his hitched gasps and moans, the dark and distant look in his wide eyes, the way his mouth goes slack when he comes. Tony has to sneak a touch of his own cock that is hard again by now, wanting to take the edge off. Loki notices it and already opens his mouth to give Tony a stern warning, but then Tony leans in again to lick Loki’s cock clean, and so Loki just grunts softly and closes his eyes, successfully distracted.

“Little minx,” he mutters and lies back on the bed, holding out his hand. “Come here.”

Tony crawls onto the bed, where Loki immediately pulls him into his arms and kisses him languidly, taking his time. Tony lets himself be kissed, moaning into Loki’s mouth and shivering under his touch, and soon tries to rub himself against Loki’s body. 

As soon as Loki notices that, which is pretty soon, he laughs and breaks the kiss. He grabs Tony’s ass to keep him still and then gives him a hard smack, making Tony groan and bury his face in the crook of Loki’s neck. Loki hums and raises his hand again, blindly - and still perfectly - hitting Tony’s ass until Tony is squirming on top of him, his cock hard and weeping.

Finally, Loki flips them over and pins Tony to the bed. And, yes, lying  _ under _ Loki is even better than on top of him. Loki kisses him again and Tony kisses back as well as he can with his fuzzy brain, which is probably not particularly well, but who cares. Loki certainly doesn't; the look on his face is so immensely pleased when he sits up that Tony can barely stand to see it. At the same time he aches for more of this exact feeling, because right now Tony  _ knows _ that Loki is very, very fond of him. And that's probably in the top three of the best feelings in the world.

But maybe that's just Tony's fuzzy brain speaking.

Loki moves Tony until he is lying comfortably on the bed, then he straddles Tony's legs. His hair is a mess and his skin a bit flushed, but apart from that he looks perfectly composed and in control, and that's  _ so _ not fair.

“Give me your hands.”

Tony obeys and holds up his hands. Loki takes them and gently presses his lips to Tony's knuckles, making Tony feel blissfully warm. Tony can only watch as glowing green tendrils wrap around his wrists and tie them tightly together. Loki's satisfaction is clearly written on his face as he guides Tony's hands above his head and holds them there for a few seconds. It’s his magic that ties Tony’s hands to the headboard and while it does that, the only thing Tony can do is stare up at his lover. He completely forgets to breathe with Loki leaning over him like this.

“Do not move,” Loki orders, voice dripping with want.

Tony nods, unable to speak. It’s not like he can move much at the moment, anyway. Loki smirks. He touches the collar again, tugging at the ring.

“Mine,” he says, softly. He meets Tony's eyes, still smiling.

“Yours, Loki,” Tony murmurs back, and Loki leans down again to kiss him.

The kiss goes on and on, soft and slow, until everything else fades. Eventually, something breaks through the haze in Tony's mind almost harshly - something very cold on his chest, the tip of something sharp just barely touching his skin.

He flinches, and the blade disappears immediately. Loki breaks the kiss, one of his hands next to Tony's head on the bed. The other holds his dagger.

“Do try not to squirm too much,” Loki says. “I would hate to cut too deeply by accident.”

Tony holds his breath, stares at Loki. His heartbeat is so loud that Loki can certainly hear it.

Loki's smirk is sharp and dangerous, but the look in his eyes never strays too far away from reassuring warmth. “If you need me to stop for any reason whatsoever, you will tell me at once.”

“Yes, Loki,” Tony whispers.

The blade returns to his chest, he can feel it just a few inches under his left nipple. Loki keeps it steady and slow when he moves the knife, and it's more a tingling sensation than anything else, but Tony still feels it like a burning line leading from his nipple to his solar plexus. He doesn't move, and even if he wanted to he couldn't; this makes him feel like a deer in the headlights. 

Oddly enough, he is more turned on than he's ever been before.

“Are you scared?” Loki asks, his gaze focused on Tony's face. 

He doesn't even look at what he is doing, but Tony knows that he doesn't need to. A knife is for Loki what a screwdriver or a soldering iron is for Tony, an extension of his arm, a  _ part _ of him. Loki has used this dagger countless times, and he won't hurt Tony.

He won't hurt him.

“No, Loki,” Tony says, and it's the truth. Because yeah, he might be nervous as fuck, but he's not  _ scared. _ Not anymore.

Loki smiles. He takes the blade away from Tony's skin, and Tony almost misses it. He peers down and watches as Loki spins the dagger between his fingers, playing with it as if it's a pencil and not a knife that could easily cut off his finger. Tony makes a soft and completely involuntary sound of need, and in response Loki bares his teeth, an almost predatory spark in his eyes.

“You like this,” he breathes out, and just like when he said something similar about the collar, it isn't a question. “You're a gift, my love.”

Loki touches the blade to a spot below the arc reactor, far enough away from it that Tony doesn't start to feel anxious. And suddenly it stings, so briefly that Tony wonders if he imagined it. When he sees Loki's smile he knows that he didn't imagine anything, though - judging by how little it hurts, it's just a very small and light cut, but it's still enough to make Tony realize that Loki is completely serious about this, and that Tony is also completely on board with it. It makes him dizzy, and as the dagger wanders up Tony's chest, past the reactor and to his collar bones, Tony feels like he is going to  _ burst. _ He doesn't know why he is so into this, but Loki's knife on his skin makes him feel so wonderfully helpless, and so utterly  _ Loki's.  _ Tony can't hold still anymore, can't stop his hips from twitching up just slightly, even though he can barely move with Loki straddling him like this.

“What did I tell you about squirming?” Loki wonders out loud. The tip of the blade presses into the soft hollow between Tony's collar bones without piercing the skin. “I know you're hard, dear. I know you're aching. But be patient.”

There is a quiet metallic sound when Loki taps the golden ring of Tony's collar with the knife. Tony lifts his chin, wanting to give Loki full access, and is rewarded by the feel of the flat side of the blade pressing against the underside of his chin. Loki's eyes are wide, the look in them almost stunned, and he leans down to give Tony a gentle kiss - a sharp contrast to the threat that is quite literally pressed against Tony's skin.

Then, Loki pulls back and moves further down the bed, nudging Tony's legs apart so that he can kneel between them. Tony cranes his neck to look at him, but he keeps his arms above his head just like Loki told him to. Loki puts his hand on Tony's thigh, holding it tightly, and Tony wants Loki to touch his cock so badly that he can't think of anything else.

“Loki,” he gasps, but that is all he manages, because suddenly he feels the dagger on his belly. His muscles tense, but he holds still and keeps his head lifted so that he can watch. Now, Loki  _ is _ looking while he lets his knife wander over Tony's hip bone down to his inner thigh, and he looks utterly captivated. When the blade breaks Tony's skin this time, it stings a little more, enough that he has to suck in a sharp breath through his teeth.

Loki makes a soothing noise, but he doesn’t seem to be done yet. He adds cut after cut on both of Tony’s thighs until Tony’s legs start to quiver with the sensation, the sensitive skin burning all over. It seems to take ages, and by the end of it Tony is panting and squirming on the bed, so much that Loki does have to set the knife aside. He squeezes Tony's thigh and runs his thumb along the cuts he left in Tony's skin, and Tony  _ knows _ that he's bleeding, can feel the small drops trickle down his thigh and onto the bed sheets. Loki's touch makes it burn even more and Tony instinctively tries to flinch away, but then Loki's other hand finds Tony's hard cock and gives it a firm and perfect stroke that has Tony crying out and bucking up into Loki's fist.

“Yes, pet,” Loki encourages him, breathless himself. “So good for me, you’re a wonder.”

Tony whimpers and his head drops back onto the pillow, eyes pinched shut. His bound hands search out the headboard, fumbling for something to hold onto while Loki strokes him. Tony is pretty sure that there are tears burning in his eyes, running over his cheeks, but he doesn’t care about it. He doesn’t care about the pain, either, because in his hazy mind it just turns directly into pleasure, into need. It’s the thrill of this that makes it so delicious and the danger, but all the while - Tony knows that he is safe in Loki’s hands, and that feels even better than the pain.

He can feel his orgasm building, and knows what Loki wants to hear. He can barely concentrate enough to talk, feels too drunk on Loki’s touches, and when he finally manages to open his mouth, his tongue is sluggish. “Loki - please, I -”

“What’s the matter, darling?”

Tony whines, the teasing tone of Loki’s voice makes concentrating even harder. “Please! Please, may I come? Loki -”

“No,” Loki says. “Not yet.”

His hands stop moving, and it tears a sob from Tony’s throat. He begs some more, but soon bites his tongue when Loki shushes him, and so he lies there panting and pulling at his magic bonds until Loki decides to take pity on him. First there are his fingers on Tony’s hole again, and then the head of his slicked cock. He thrusts into him easily, but the sudden and fast stretch still hurts - not much, but  _ exactly _ the right amount. Tony moans and savors Loki’s answering sigh, the way Loki’s hands roughly grab his hips when he starts fucking him. Tony grabs the headboard as well as he can and spreads his legs even wider to let Loki take him however he wants, to let him  _ use _ him however he needs. Loki’s hand is back on Tony’s cock, working it in time with his thrusts, and the pleasure is so overwhelming that Tony’s mind goes blank, he can’t even  _ try _ to think anymore. 

Maybe it’s minutes, maybe it’s hours, he has no idea. He feels Loki’s hands on his chest, nails scratching, and Loki’s cock filling him so well. Suddenly he finds himself looking right into Loki’s eyes, Loki’s body covering him now and holding him down. Loki grasps the sheets next to Tony’s raised arms while his hips keep rolling, cock thrusting into Tony hard. 

“Come, Anthony,” Loki orders, his breath warm and ragged on Tony’s lips. “Come for me.”

Tony moans and he tries, he tries, he tries. He wants to do as Loki says, and it doesn’t take all too long until he  _ is _ coming, spilling between their bodies while Loki fucks him through it. Loki keeps looking at him and it takes only a few more thrusts until he comes as well, Tony’s name on his lips, and then -

And then it’s quiet for a while. Their foreheads touching, they breathe each other in. Tony’s sight is blurry and he’s floating, barely even notices it when Loki kisses him softly and sluggishly. It’s nice, though, because right now the only thing Tony wants is to be as close to Loki as possible. And thankfully Loki never leaves him alone, he stays with Tony even when they finally come to lie on their sides, Tony safely tucked against Loki’s chest. He stays with Tony even though the words Tony mutters don’t make any sense, and he stays with Tony even when he falls asleep twenty seconds later.

Tony drifts into sleep knowing that Loki will still be there when he wakes up.

x

_ Ouch. _

That’s the first thought Tony has some hours later, and it only intensifies when he wakes up properly. He grunts and turns his head into the pillow, trying to block out the soreness of - well, everything, really.

“You broke me,” Tony complains, voice muffled by the pillow.

Loki presses his lips to Tony’s neck, fingers drawing circles on Tony’s stomach. “I can heal you.”

Tony lets out another grunt. “Sit up?”

The first part of his questions gets lost somewhere between his brain and his tongue, but thankfully it’s still understandable. Loki shifts and carefully helps Tony up into a sitting position. Tony’s ass immediately complains about it, but he’s used to that sort of pain by now. He’s also used to the light bruises, the exact images of Loki’s fingers spread over Tony’s hip bones, and Tony still loves them. What’s new is the stinging pain of the cuts, the soreness there where the tender skin of his inner thighs stretches as he moves. For a long moment, Tony sits there with his legs spread and stares at the wounds Loki’s knife left behind. There is another one on his chest, below the arc reactor. They are all just superficial and he knows that they will heal within days even without Loki’s help. And, god, Tony’s had much, much worse, but this was still… intense. In hindsight, it scares him a little, even though he knows that Loki went easy on him. It scares Tony because he enjoyed it so much.

He’s still staring at this thighs. The pattern is the same on both of his legs, but he can’t make sense of it. “You said you’d do your name.”

“It’s the first letter of my name,” Loki replies softly. His hand is in Tony’s hair, carefully carding through the stands. “Asgardian runes. Anthony, are you alright?”

For the first time, Tony meets Loki’s eyes. He sees the worry in them immediately, maybe even a hint of fear. Tony has to smile. “I’m fine,” he says and cups the side of Loki’s face, pulling him close. “I’m fine. I liked it.”

Loki exhales audibly, relieved. He puts his hands on Tony’s hips and pulls him into his lap, wrapping his arms around him. Which -

“Loki, ouch. My ass -”

“And your thighs,” Loki adds, smugly.

“ _ And  _ my thighs,” Tony sighs. He doesn’t feel like complaining anymore, not now that he can wrap his arms around Loki’s shoulders and nuzzle his nose with his own. “Fucking sadist.”

“You’re repeating yourself.”

“I mean it fondly.”

“Do you?”

Tony pulls back, looks at Loki properly. Questioningly. Loki looks uncertain again, and that won’t do.  _ Not scared anymore, _ he reminds himself, and he isn’t. There’s no reason to be scared anymore.

“Yeah, I do.” Tony presses his lips to Loki’s, gently. “I love you.”

Loki’s gaze softens. “And I you, Anthony.” He pulls Tony tighter against his chest, their noses touching again. “You were so good for me. So brave.”

Tony blushes, pleased. “Yeah?”

Loki kisses him, and his fingers find the collar again. “Yes. My perfect sub.”

“Mh.” Tony smiles. “Can your perfect sub get something to eat? Because he’s starving.”

“Oh, is he? Why, did I wear him out so much?”

“Loki. Food.”

“I told JARVIS to order something as soon as you woke up. It should be here soon.”

“God, you’re brilliant.”

Loki beams, and Tony feels - satisfied. Like he wants to be exactly where he is.

In the end, Loki doesn’t heal the cuts. Tony finds that he quite likes the reminder.

x

It's the first Friday of the month, and that means it's movie night. As far as Tony is concerned, the whole thing is made even more awkward by them having to put it on a schedule like that, but they are all used to awkwardness, and by now they don't really care anymore. It was Steve's idea, because of course it was, but Tony has to admit that it was one of his  _ better _ ideas. 

Which doesn't mean that Tony doesn't usually want to strangle whoever tries to drag him out of his workshop on Friday evening, but anyway. This time it's Natasha, and he knows better than to even  _ try _ to strangle her.

He still whines a bit on the way up to the community floor, or at least he tries; Natasha interrupts him pretty quickly.

“Tony,” she says.

Tony can tell by her tone that this could get awkward. For both of them. He also notices that  _ she  _ has noticed the collar, because of course she has; he didn’t even try to hide it. He doesn’t want to hide it, but now he wonders if that might have made this evening easier. He makes a face.

“Nat, no. Come on. We don't want to have this conversation.”

“Pepper asked me to -”

“ _ Pepper _ asked you - since when does Pepper -”

“Tony,” she says, again. She's smirking and keeps her eyes forward. No comment about the collar so far, though she must know exactly what it means. “Just, if he hurts you -”

“What, you'll give him a spanking?”

She raises a brow at him.

“I don't know what's worse,” Tony says. “That I think you could or that I'd kinda like to see it.”

Natasha rolls her eyes. “Of course you'd like that.”

“Question, what happens if  _ I _ hurt  _ him? _ Do I get a spanking? Because, and I'm not gonna lie here, I had that one dream a few times -”

“I don't think I want to hear about any of your dreams.”

“Natasha, you wound me. Deeply. Also, what's going on with you and Pepper? Because  _ that -” _

Natasha is saved by the elevator doors opening. Tony follows her to the movie room, laughing. 

The rest of the team are already waiting for them. It’s like every pair of eyes in the room immediately zooms in on Tony’s collar - every pair of eyes except one. Loki is there, too, sitting next to Thor in one corner of the low sofa, a bowl of popcorn in his lap. He looks over his shoulder at Tony and smiles, although that fades soon enough when he turns back to Thor.

“Get up.”

Thor gives his best impression of an insulted puppy. “But -”

“Get up,” Loki repeats, and Thor huffs and scoots over to the other end of the sofa.

Loki makes room so that Tony can sit down between him and the armrest. He's smiling again. “Hello.”

“Fancy meeting you here,” Tony says, grinning. 

Loki chuckles and kisses his cheek. He wants to say something, but Clint interrupts him.

“This is like, the strangest thing I've ever seen. Look at him, he's all smiley and cheesy.”

“Shut up, Clint,” Tony tells him.

Clint, who is sitting on the backrest of the sofa behind Bruce, looks at Loki like he's never seen him before. “Wild.”

“Clint. Shut up.”

Finally, Clint looks at Tony. “Your boyfriend is hoarding all the popcorn.”

“And your disapproval will not stop him from doing so,” Loki adds, offering Tony the bowl.

Tony takes a handful of popcorn. “Actually, it’s just encouraging him.”

“I'm sure there's more in the kitchen,” Steve says with a sigh, already getting up from his armchair. “I'll go and get some.”

“How kind of you,” Loki says, smiling sweetly at him.

“Watch it,” Steve says, but it's with a roll of his eyes

Loki's grin just widens. He watches Steve go, then turns to Tony. “I'm afraid the poor Captain's ego is still bruised.”

“Oh no,” Tony drawls. "Will the country ever recover from this loss?"

“The real question is, will this country survive the two of you as a couple?” Clint asks. “Or this planet, will the planet survive? What about the universe?”

“The universe will be fine,” Bruce says with a sigh. “Now can we please choose a movie?”

“How about  _ National Treasure?” _ Loki suggests.

“Steve hates that movie,” Natasha says, smiling.

Loki’s innocent expression is glorious. “Oh, does he?”

“I’m too tired for this,” Bruce decides and has JARVIS start the movie before anyone can say anything else. 

When Steve comes back, he just sighs (again) and resigns himself to his fate. As soon as Nic Cage steals the Declaration of Independence, Thor goes a little pale.

“We should keep Loki away from there,” he says quietly, watching as Cage pays for the Declaration with his credit card.

“He wouldn’t,” Steve says.

“He wouldn’t?” Loki asks.

“Great, Steve,” Clint says. “Now you’ve given him ideas.”

Tony smiles in reaction to Loki’s wonderfully sharp grin.  _ “If _ you do it,” he says, “I wanna join the fun.”

“I changed my mind,” Bruce murmurs, not looking away from the TV. “The universe won’t be fine.”

Tony disagrees, but he just smiles to himself. With his head on Loki’s shoulder, he’ll probably fall asleep before the movie is over, and that’s fine.

_ His _ universe will definitely be fine, that much is certain.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aand that's it! (Maybe. Maybe there will be another chapter. I don't even know anymore at this point.)
> 
> Thanks so much to **Rabentochter** und **LoveReignsSupreme** for reading over this chapter and being awesome in general!❤


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just can't seem to stop. Thank you to Rabentochter and LoveReignsSupreme for reading over this! ❤

When Tony enters the penthouse living room, he needs to take just a single look at Loki to know that he is planning something. The glint in Loki’s eyes is enough to make a pleasant spark of anticipation flare up in Tony’s belly, and he can’t help but laugh.

“You kinda look like you’re planning to eat me whole,” he says, slipping out of his shoes before he sits down next to Loki on the sofa. He nudges Loki's arm to make him move, and Loki immediately makes his book vanish and puts his arm around Tony, pulling him closer.

“Oh, no.” Loki smiles and trails his fingers over Tony's side. “My plans are more along the lines of the opposite, actually.”

Tony raises a brow, unsure what Loki means by that. “Yeah?”

“If you’re willing, that is,” Loki says. “I know you’ve had a long day. If you would rather rest a little first -”

“Nah,” Tony interrupts. “No, I’m all stiff and annoyed after all those meetings. Getting my mind off that would be nice. I'm kinda hungry, though.”

“You should eat something first, then.”

“Mh.” Tony rests his head on Loki's shoulder, closing his eyes. “Where's my collar?”

“I have it,” Loki replies. The reply is just as unnecessary as the question; of course Loki has the collar. He always keeps it when Tony takes it off. “Do you want me to put it on you?”

“Yeah.”

Somehow, Loki manages to take the collar out of his pocket dimension and buckle it around Tony's neck without moving him too much. Tony is thankful for that, because although Loki usually makes him get on his knees for this, right now Tony is just too comfortable to move. The collar makes it even better. Like Loki promised, he doesn't mind it when Tony doesn't wear it 24/7 - which doesn’t mean that he doesn’t  _ prefer _ it when Tony wears the collar, he just doesn’t throw a tantrum when Tony decides that every dom in the room staring at Tony’s neck although they should be concentrating on the meeting is not what he needs today. Because obviously everyone still isn’t over the fact that somebody’s managed to put a collar on Tony Stark. He wore it in public exactly two times, and the press hasn’t shut up about it since. That will only get worse when they find out just  _ who _ put the collar on him, which is why they decided to wait a little before letting that particular information slip. It’s not like Tony doesn’t want everyone to know that he is with Loki now, he just also spent his whole life so far telling and showing the world that he doesn’t  _ need _ a dom, and that makes this step a little difficult. Thankfully, Loki is willing to take it slow, because apparently he cares less about showing Tony off and more about Tony himself, which is. Very nice indeed.

“What about dinner, pet?”

Tony, who would probably fall asleep within the next fifteen minutes if Loki let him, makes a reluctant sound. “Too lazy to get up again right now.”

“I see,” Loki says, his voice soft and amused. “Well, I suppose I could be persuaded to go to the kitchen for you.”

Tony buries his face against Loki's shoulder. “If you get up now, m'gonna kill you.”

“Oh, feel free to try. Now move, would you?”

With a groan, Tony straightens again and lets Loki get up. Before Loki goes, he steals a kiss - well, even Loki can't steal something that's given freely, so it's less stealing and more simple taking. Tony's tempted to forget about dinner and do more - a lot more - of this kissing thing, but Loki soon pulls back. There's a knowing and definitely smug smile tugging at his lips when he stands up, and Tony just rolls his eyes and stretches.

“Hurry,” he says, “or I'll spend the night in the workshop.”

Loki throws a curious look over his shoulder before he leaves the room. “And you think that could stop me how, exactly?”

Tony only snorts. Loki has never once tried to distract him when he’s working, and they’ve never had sex in the workshop, either. Maybe they should change that, Tony thinks now; some of the work benches are just  _ begging _ Loki to tie Tony to them. But well, maybe another time - it’s obvious that Loki planned something for tonight, and Tony’s willing to wait and see what it’s going to be. He trusts Loki implicitly, and anyway, Loki has the great and also slightly disturbing skill to make Tony enjoy whatever Loki does to him. Maybe that’s just because Loki would sooner throw  _ himself _ out of the window rather than do something Tony  _ doesn’t _ enjoy. And yes, that’s another thing that is very nice. God, it’s a whole list at this point. Maybe Tony should start a journal like a teen and write down ‘Things I Love About My Crush’, just to get it out of his head.

He adds another point to said list when Loki returns, because he’s carrying two plates with what looks like the most delicious pasta Tony has ever seen. Still, he has to laugh.

“There’s no way you cooked that in two minutes,” he says and sits up, already making grabby hands.

Loki looks innocent for exactly three seconds, then he breaks into a smile. “I ordered it when JARVIS told me when you would be home,” he admits, sitting down again. “I figured you might be hungry.”

“Yeah, and this is exactly why you're the best person ever,” Tony says, and he's not even being sarcastic. He says it because it's true, and also because he likes making Loki blush. 

He also takes one of the plates right out of Loki's hands. During the invasion, Tony would have laughed his ass off if somebody had told him that Loki would eventually be one of the very few people who are allowed to hand things to Tony, but well. Tony really does trust him implicitly.

“I'm glad to be of service,” Loki says, trying to hide how happy he is behind a dry tone of voice. His eyes betray him, though.

“No, that's my job.” Tony's mouth is full with pasta, but he doesn't let that stop him. “And after this _ ,  _ I'll do whatever you want, promise.” He makes himself comfortable on the sofa, placing his feet in Loki's lap. “How was your day?”

“Boring.” Loki seems comfortable as well, using magic to levitate his plate so that he can put one of his hands on Tony’s ankle. “The Captain came by to give me another lecture.”

“Let me guess, he’s still not over the framed declaration of independence that miraculously appeared in the living room.”

“He still thinks it's the original,” Loki says, in a tone that directly translates to  _ gods, can you believe? _ “I moved it to the showers in the gym this time, it probably won't be long until he finds it again.”

Tony laughs, and Loki practically beams at him. They talk a little more while they eat, and it's - cozy. Comfortable. Tony should probably not be surprised about that anymore, but he  _ is. _ It's simply nice to know that Loki doesn't want to keep him tied to the bed all day, that he wants  _ this,  _ too. It is also scarily domestic, but given that collars and scarification are already a part of the equation, domesticity should also not be a surprise. And it isn't, not really. The real surprise is how much Tony enjoys it.

After dinner, he takes a shower, hurrying a bit because yes, fine, he's impatient. He has been thinking about Loki all day, most of all he's been thinking about getting Loki out of his clothes all day, and in his opinion, it's really about time they get down to business. And Loki seems to think similarly, because he is already sitting on the edge of their bed when Tony leaves the bathroom. 

He doesn't even need to give the order; Tony immediately goes and kneels at Loki's feet. He didn’t bother to get dressed after his shower. Loki’s happy smile tells him that he’s done the exact right thing, and there is that tell-tale warmth gathering in Tony’s belly that only comes from pleasing his dom. Now that he gets this feeling regularly, and most importantly with a dom he actually  _ loves _ being with, he’s starting to think that it’s one of the best things in the world. Right up there with having a breakthrough in his workshop, certainly.

What is a little odd is that Loki changed from his “lazing around on the sofa” clothes to one of his “leaving the tower to buy a coffee or cause mischief or preferably both” outfits. Now there is less linen and more leather, hints of gold here and there, he’s even wearing his boots. Tony guesses that he’ll either have the pleasure of undressing Loki himself - the thought alone makes his fingers twitch in anticipation - or of watching as Loki peels himself out of layer after layer of leather and fabric, every move of his hands slow and deliberate, his perfect smirk in place, ready to tease Tony until he’s dying with the need to  _ touch. _

Both are good options, Tony thinks. 

Loki reaches out and cards his fingers through Tony’s hair, still smiling. “I missed you today.”

Every time Loki admits something like that, Tony’s chest tightens just a bit. He knows that it isn’t easy for Loki, just outright  _ telling _ Tony about his feelings. It’s not easy for Tony, either. But they have managed surprisingly well so far, he thinks, and knowing that Loki actually misses him when they are not together makes him want to cuddle Loki to death. Or well, not all the way to death. That would be counterproductive.

“There’s nothing on the agenda tomorrow,” Tony says, his grin a little lewd. “I’m all yours.”

“Of course you are.” Loki’s soft smile turns into a promising smirk as he lets his fingers wander down to Tony’s throat, touching the collar. “Mine, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Loki.”

“Good boy,” Loki praises, making Tony shiver. “I have something for you.”

Tony raises his brows, surprised. “What, like a gift?”

Except for the collar, Loki hasn't really given him any gifts so far. It's Tony who showers Loki with stuff - books, the newest SI tech, that one suit that looks illegally good on him, hell, he's thinking about building Loki his own car because he can't drive and definitely needs to learn to. Loki, though? He prefers to spoil Tony with attention. Material gifts don’t seem to be his thing, so right now Tony doesn’t really know what to expect. He guesses it’s some kind of toy, but since they have a rather large collection already, it’s a bit difficult to think of something new. And it probably is something new, otherwise Loki wouldn’t treat it like a surprise.

Loki seems to be amused by Tony’s reaction. “Well, it’s not entirely free from selfish motive, but yes, a gift.”

He plucks something out of thin air - well, out of one of his magical pockets, really, but it does look like it appears out of nowhere - and holds it in both hands, showing it to Tony. It’s a length of black leather, with a golden clasp at one end and a small loop at the other, and yeah, it’s pretty obvious what it is.

Tony swallows and looks up at Loki again, a spark of unease dying out again when he sees Loki’s calm expression.

“Do you want this?” Loki asks, his voice quiet and steady.

Tony doesn’t allow himself to think about it for very long. “Yes, Loki.”

Loki smiles and fastens the clasp to the ring at the front of Tony’s collar. He slowly lets the leash glide through his hand and tugs at it, gentle but still firm enough to make Tony feel the pull. The whole time he holds Tony’s gaze, which makes it incredibly hard to concentrate on anything at all. Loki’s free hand cups Tony’s jaw and lifts his chin, thumb pressing against his lower lip. Tony instinctively opens his mouth, ready to suck at Loki’s fingers if that’s what he wants, but Loki simply keeps his thumb where it is. His eyes are very dark by now.

“I think,” he says lowly, “I will keep you on a leash very often from now on. It suits you, pet.”

“Thank you, Loki,” Tony manages, breathless.

He’s never been leashed before. It's something for owned subs, not for whole-time bachelors looking for the short-lived kick of a good one night stand. When he was young, barely even twenty, he often looked at collared and leashed subs with jealousy, but eventually he made peace with the thought that it was simply something he'd never have. He just isn’t the type for a relationship like that, or at least that is what he always thought.

Enter Loki and his overwhelming Loki-ness.

“You should thank me properly, don’t you think?” Loki says, pulling at the leash. “Come here. Kiss me.”

Tony can’t obey quickly enough, he shuffles forward on his knees until he’s between Loki’s spread legs, and then he stretches and captures Loki’s lips with his own. Maybe he’s a little too eager, a little too quick, because Loki laughs into the kiss and slows it down. His lips and tongue are unfairly good at turning Tony’s hurry into helpless pleasure, and when Loki pulls back, Tony is ridiculously out of breath. His cock is also hard and begging to be touched, but he keeps his hands flat on his thighs, knowing that he is to wait for permission.

He thanks Loki again, his grin a little crooked, and Loki smiles and kisses Tony’s forehead. Another tug at the leash, making Tony shiver, then Loki glances down at his own feet.

“Take off my boots.”

Tony nods and moves backward a little again. He forces his hands to be still and quick while he works on the laces of Loki’s combat boots. Loki lifts his foot so that Tony can pull the first boot off and set it aside. He’s not wearing socks. Tony traces the bridge of Loki’s foot with his fingertips, keeping the touch light, and also leans forward to press a kiss on Loki’s still leather-clad knee. He can’t help it; he just wants to touch Loki so badly sometimes. Or all the time. And every part of him.

Loki’s hand is in his hair again. “Don’t get distracted.”

Tony has to smile in reaction to the softness in Loki’s voice. He takes off Loki’s other boot and then looks up at him, waiting for his next order. 

Loki gives it to him quickly. “Stand up.”

Tony obeys, although his legs are a little wobbly. Loki keeps sitting on the edge of the bed and seems utterly at ease, but as he lets his eyes wander over Tony’s naked body, the hunger in his eyes becomes more obvious by the second. He touches the end of the leash to Tony’s chest, right below the arc reactor. That’s where he carved his name - four letters of the Asgardian alphabet in a neat vertical column. The skin there is still a little tender, the wounds have just started turning into light scars. Loki might have to use his knife again to make the scars more visible.

Loki guides the soft leather over Tony’s chest down to his stomach. It tickles a bit and makes his muscles twitch, but that’s nothing against the way Tony’s hips want to thrust when the leash touches his cock.

“My, are you desperate?” Loki asks, amused. His grin is sharp. “Hold still.”

“Loki -”

“No,” Loki interrupts, because he can probably guess what Tony wanted to ask for.

Not like it’s hard to guess. Tony asks Loki to use his hands on him in this way or another about five times every day.

Tony makes a face, impatient. “Lokes, c’mon, I -”

“I said  _ no, _ pet.”

Loki’s sharp tone makes Tony swallow, but thankfully the look in Loki’s eyes softens again immediately. He stands up as well and grabs the leash not far below the clasp to pull Tony close. 

“Be patient for a little while longer,” Loki says. He strokes Tony’s back, his fingers cool on Tony’s skin. “It will be worth it, believe me.”

“It better be,” Tony drawls. He’s really not in the mood for a long edging session, and he really hopes that -

_ Ow. _

The force of the hit Loki landed on his ass made Tony stumble forward against Loki’s chest, but he quickly straightens himself again to glare at Loki, who just smiles sweetly. His hand is still on Tony’s ass, petting the spot he just slapped.

“Can we continue?” he asks. “Or would you rather keep complaining?”

By now Tony knows how quickly Loki can go from light and teasing to  _ alright, I have had enough, so either get yourself under control or expect unpleasant consequences.  _ He also knows that Loki isn't yet anywhere near that point, but he still doesn't feel like taking the risk at the moment. He wants pretty simple things right now - namely, for Loki to fuck him senseless and then cuddle with him until they fall asleep - and a real punishment doesn't fit into his plan right now.

So he says, “Nah, I think I'm done complaining. For now.”

Judging by the amused twinkle in his eyes, Loki knows exactly what thought process Tony just went through. “Wonderful,” he says. “You may undress me, then.”

Tony snorts and reaches past the leash so that he can peel Loki out of his jacket. All those buckles are always a bit of a challenge - the reason Loki usually dresses and undresses with magic -, but Tony knows how to handle them by now. Undressing Loki has some sort of calming effect on him; it makes him forget about his impatience and concentrate on what his hands have to do to reveal more and more of Loki's pale skin. 

He puts Loki's jacket and the tunic he wears beneath it over the bed frame. Loki grabs the leash again and pulls Tony into a kiss, making Tony's hands move a little more frantically as he starts to open Loki's pants.

This time, Tony breaks the kiss himself. He wants to get on his knees again so that he can take off Loki's pants, but Loki uses his hold on the leash to keep him from doing so.

“I was not done,” Loki says, but he sounds more amused than annoyed, and his smile is gentle.

Another kiss; it's brief and almost chaste, but it still causes Tony to make one of those noises he would be embarrassed about if anybody else witnessed it. It's fine as long as it is just Tony and Loki, though, because this whole thing is something that belongs to  _ them, _ and to nobody else. It’s a safe haven.

“You really are impatient tonight, aren’t you?” Loki asks, his grin smug and lovely. 

“Yeah,” Tony breathes out, because there’s no point in denying it. He lets his hand slip into Loki’s pants - in as much as it’s possible; Loki’s leather pants really are very tight. He just manages to graze Loki’s hip bone with his fingertips and god, that’s not nearly enough. What he wants is to feel Loki’s cock, in his hand or his mouth or his ass; he’d be fine with everything as long as he can do what Loki wants. And get a fair bit of pleasure out of it himself, of course.

Loki smiles. “You may get back on your knees.”

Tony grins back and obeys. He grabs the waistband of Loki’s pants to pull them down and yes, fine, he does make a bit of a show out of licking his lips when he sees Loki’s cock, already hard and just begging to be touched.

Loki steps out of his pants and pushes them aside with his foot, unusually careless. Tony is not the only one who is impatient, probably. It makes him feel - yes,  _ proud _ is probably the right word. He wants Loki to want him so much that everything else seems trivial, because that’s exactly how much Tony wants Loki right now. And always, really.

Loki is still holding the leash, and Tony has to admit that it suits  _ Loki, _ too. And he knows how he looks himself, collared and leashed and on his knees, ready and willing to do everything Loki says. He can see in Loki’s eyes how much he loves this, and that makes Tony love it even more.

“Is there something you want, darling?”

Tony nods, glancing up at Loki’s face. He can barely remember how to breathe. “I’ve been thinking about you fucking me all day,” he says. He keeps his hands on his thighs when he stretches a bit, getting ready to suck Loki off. “But this is fine, too.”

“Anthony.” Loki takes Tony’s chin in his hand and makes him look at him. His smile is a little sharper now, eyes glinting. “Tonight,  _ you _ are going to fuck  _ me.” _

Something about that makes Tony’s brain short-circuit. It needs a few seconds to reboot, and even then it doesn’t seem to be working correctly, because all he manages to say is, “What?”

“Oh, I do think you heard me.”

“But -”

“No buts, pet.” Loki raises a brow. “Unless you don’t want to?”

Tony stares up at him. “You - you want me to?”

Loki doesn’t tease him. He doesn’t smirk and he doesn’t roll his eyes, he doesn’t say  _ we wouldn’t even be talking about this if I didn’t. _ Loki says, “I do.”

And that helps. It lets Tony remember the one time Loki mentioned this before - Tony thought it was just Loki using his words to get Tony all riled up and desperate, but apparently it was a  _ suggestion _ as well -, and it lets him imagine Loki on his back, his legs spread and his face flushed, ordering Tony to fuck him harder. 

Tony has to swallow, thickly. He feels lightheaded. “Okay,” he says. “Yeah. Yes.”

“Good.” Loki cups Tony’s cheek, stroking over his already heated skin, tracing the edge of his beard. “You’ll make me feel very good, won’t you?”

Tony leans into Loki’s palm, nodding quickly. “Yes, Loki.”

“Lovely. Come on, then.”

Loki moves to the middle of the bed, and since he is still holding the leash, Tony has no other choice but to climb onto the bed as well. He watches as Loki lies down and makes himself comfortable, spreading his legs just like Tony imagined he would. He also summons a bottle of lube and, with a smirk, tosses it onto the bed so that it’s in Tony’s reach. A tug on the leash, then Tony crawls forward on his knees until he’s between Loki’s legs. 

And then he just kind of keeps staring, because his brain is  _ still _ not functioning.

Loki chuckles. “You may touch me, pet.”

Tony meets Loki’s gaze and holds it, letting himself be calmed by it. “Where?”

“Everywhere you like.”

God. Tony lets out a breath. His smile is a bit shaky, but it’s there, and then he gets himself under control and puts his hands on Loki’s knees, feeling the cool skin. He’s good at this, he tells himself, and he knows what Loki likes and wants, this is going to be  _ easy. _

He’s never fucked a dom, though. Most of them don’t like it. Tony has been with other subs and none of them complained, so he’s definitely not clueless, but this is  _ Loki, _ and he deserves the very best.

He looks at Loki again. Loki seems amused, but not impatient - actually, he looks completely relaxed, and still completely in control. He didn’t let go of the leash, and that helps as well. Tony lets his hands wander to Loki’s thighs, moving slowly and deliberately; he wants to feel every inch of skin, every sinew and every muscle. The skin of Loki’s inner thighs is soft and smooth, but beneath it there is enough strength to crush Tony’s bones, he knows that. It makes him smile. 

He puts his hand on the back of Loki’s knee and lifts his leg up a little, carefully because he doesn’t want to do anything Loki doesn't want. Loki doesn’t stop him, though, and he doesn’t protest when Tony presses his lips to the side of Loki’s knee, then to his thigh. He even makes a small, appreciative noise, which Tony takes as encouragement. He settles down between Loki’s legs and mouths at his inner thighs, wanting to leave marks there. The bone-deep satisfaction he feels when he sees patches of Loki’s skin turning red and even slightly purple under Tony’s lips and teeth makes up for the fact that the marks will fade again in a few hours, if not minutes.. Tony’s own cock is achingly hard, but he doesn’t even think about grinding against the mattress, even though he’s in the perfect position to do so. This is about making  _ Loki _ feel good, and anyway, the first time Loki lets out a soft moan in reaction to a bite mark Tony left on his thigh, Tony almost comes without touching himself. 

This is fucking  _ brilliant. _

He moves up a little, stroking over Loki’s hips and following the lines of his hip bones with his fingers and tongue. Loki’s cock is hard as well, already leaking precum onto his stomach, but Tony keeps himself from touching it for now. Instead, he kisses Loki’s belly, his sides - that makes Loki flinch away slightly, he’s a tiny bit ticklish, but Tony will probably lose his head if he mentions that again. (He’s definitely going to mention it again later.) The muscles of Loki’s stomach twitch under Tony’s touches, and Loki’s chest is heaving now, his breaths getting faster and more shallow. Tony nuzzles Loki’s skin, breathing him in. He’ll feel ridiculous for thinking it later, but somehow, this feels  _ holy. _

That’s fine, he supposes. Loki  _ is _ a god, after all. And his reactions, all those gasps and moans, make Tony think that Loki might get off on being worshipped.

And, yes, that is definitely fine.

Loki’s hand is in Tony’s hair, tugging so hard that it’s just the right amount of pain. “Give me your mouth.”

Tony gives him his mouth, without even thinking. He wraps his lips around Loki’s cock and swallows, and Loki’s groan is perfect. Tony keeps his hands on Loki’s hips, digging his nails into the skin. He wants to leave marks there, too. He sucks Loki for quite a while, until his jaw already starts to ache; he’s very set on making Loki come at least once before Tony even begins fucking him.

Eventually, he lets go of Loki’s cock, and immediately Loki protests.

“Anthony -”

Tony hurries to dip his tongue between Loki’s cheeks, showing him what he wants to do, and Loki says, “Oh.”

Tony has to laugh, which earns him a rather rough pull at the leash. But Loki’s voice is amused as well when he adds, “Go ahead, then.”

Tony doesn’t hesitate, he parts Loki’s cheeks with his fingers and starts teasing his hole with his lips and tongue. Loki lets out a drawn-out, blissful sigh and spreads his legs even wider, giving Tony better access. Tony knows how much Loki loves this - he has a thing for making Tony rim him, and maybe he enjoys it even more when Tony does it without being prompted. He is certainly enjoying himself right now, judging by the way he starts to squirm under Tony’s touches. Soon Tony is all but fucking Loki with his tongue, and Loki moves his hips and presses down against Tony’s face. It makes breathing a little difficult, but Tony barely even notices that.

Blindly, he reaches for the lube and manages to open it without leaving Loki untouched for too long. When his fingers are slick, Tony reaches up and strokes Loki’s cock while still licking his hole, and it takes just a few seconds, then Loki gasps, heels digging into the mattress and hips thrusting upward as he comes. 

Tony feels so satisfied that if he could, he’d probably be purring. He kisses Loki’s thigh again, then moves up to run his tongue over Loki’s stomach, gathering up a bit of Loki’s cum. He could do without the taste, but the look in Loki’s eyes and his quiet, breathless laugh when he sees Tony swallow are worth it.

“My lovely boy,” Loki murmurs, cupping Tony’s face again. He presses his thumb against Tony’s lower lip and this time, he lets Tony wrap his lips around it. Loki’s smile is giddy enough to power the whole tower. “What did I do to deserve you, hm?”

See, Tony’s heard that question before. Usually, it implies that the person asking the question must have done something unspeakable in one of their past lives, because why else should they have to put up with Tony? But Loki doesn’t mean it like that. He never means it like that. Because Loki isn’t disappointed, and he isn’t angry.

No, Loki is  _ in awe. _

“Come here,” Loki says, softly, and he doesn’t need to pull on the leash again to make Tony obey.

Tony braces himself on the mattress, looking down at Loki’s face, and then Loki buries his hand in Tony’s hair again and pulls him down to him. Tony whines into the kiss and his hips move on their own volition. He wants to rub his cock against Loki’s, in desperate need of some friction, but Loki grabs Tony’s hip, making him hold still. Tony lets his forehead drop on Loki’s, breathing harshly.

“Loki, please -”

“Ask me,” Loki orders.

Tony shifts a bit, grasping the bed sheets tighter. He feels like he’s going to combust. He nearly stumbles over his own tongue, but he still manages to ask, “May I please fuck you, Loki?”

“Yes,” Loki says, at once. “And you may come in me whenever you are ready, too.”

Tony nods, a bit frantic, and they kiss again before Tony has to pull back to grab the lube. He slicks himself and Loki’s entrance quickly and efficiently, wasting no time, and when he presses the head of his cock into Loki, they are already kissing again. It doesn’t take long until Tony has to stop, though; the lack of oxygen makes him too dizzy, and he feels near enough to passing out as it is. 

Loki laughs, soft and pleased, and presses his lips to Tony’s jaw. He strokes his back and wraps his legs around Tony’s hips, taking his cock even deeper. Tony moans and buries his face in the crook of Loki’s neck. It’s been ages since he last felt this, the tight heat of someone else around his cock, the sparks of pure pleasure shooting up his spine because of it. He doesn’t know why, but he never thought that Loki would actually let him  _ do _ this. 

However, Loki seems rather eager. He drags his nails over Tony’s back, certainly leaving red stripes behind. His breath is hot on Tony’s temple, his voice smooth and deep. “Fuck me, pet.”

Tony obeys. He starts to roll his hips, pulling out of Loki and pushing back into him, and it feels  _ heavenly. _ Loki makes a low sound that seems to come from somewhere deep in his chest, and soon he captures Tony’s lips again. 

It's easy to lose himself in this. Tony doesn't need to think about what to do, he just needs to keep moving his hips and listening to what Loki says -  _ harder _ and  _ faster  _ and, again and again, Tony's name. Eventually Tony sits back on his heels and grabs Loki's hips, wanting to improve the angle. Judging by the way Loki's eyes roll back into his head, he managed, and from there on Loki doesn't really manage to give orders anymore. Tony doesn't mind; seeing Loki like this, with his grip on the leash still firm, his hair messy, a blush spreading from his face down to his throat and chest, is more than enough. Soon, Tony is fucking Loki so hard that the sound of flesh hitting flesh fills the room along with their moans, and his fingers are holding Loki's hips so tightly that maybe, just maybe, he'll get to see the imprints of his hands there later.

It's been clear the whole time that Tony isn't going to last very long. When he feels that he's going to come, he wraps his fingers around Loki's cock again. Tony's thrusts become desperate and erratic, and he thinks there are some words tumbling off his lips, but he is barely aware of that. Suddenly, Loki yanks at the leash, his other hand reaching out to grab Tony and pull him close again, into another kiss. Loki comes, Tony can feel him clench around his cock and spill himself between their bodies, and that's what does it for Tony, too.

When the waves of pleasure subside, Tony is still lying on top of Loki, and he doesn't really want to move anytime soon. Loki doesn't make him; instead he wraps his arms around Tony and holds him tightly against his chest, giving them both the time to catch their breaths. Tony feels sweaty and drowsy and comfortable, and actually he wants to fall asleep very soon. He's had a long day.

“That was,” Loki says, but doesn't finish.

Tony agrees with a hum. It's quiet for a long while, and Tony is already half asleep when Loki speaks again.

“Anthony,” he mumbles close to Tony's ear. “Move a little, please.”

Tony grunts, but he rolls off Loki and stretches out his tired limbs. He can feel Loki's magic washing over him, warm and gentle, and smiles.

“Thanks,” he murmurs and lies down on his side, looking at Loki out of bleary eyes.

Loki mirrors his position, his head close to Tony's on the same pillow. He gently trails his fingers over Tony's side and leans in to kiss his forehead. 

“Did you really like it?” Tony asks, perfectly aware that he's slurring.

“Oh, yes. I did.” Loki's voice is soft and slightly hoarse. “You were perfect, love.”

Tony smiles, basking in the praise. He sighs, content, and closes his eyes. “Sleep?”

Loki starts playing with Tony's hair. “As long as you want. We have nowhere to be tomorrow.”

That's music to Tony's ears. They should spend the whole next day in bed, with breaks for coffee and food. And one or two bad movies, maybe.

Yes. Good plan.

For now, though, Tony moves closer to his lover and throws one of his legs over Loki's, determined to get the cuddles he's also been thinking of all day. Loki seems to approve, because he wraps his arm around Tony's middle in return. His cool skin feels perfect against Tony's own still heated body.

“What about the leash, hm?” Loki asks softly.

Tony sighs, unwilling to stay awake for much longer. “Leave it. S'fine.”

“Anthony?”

“Hm?”

“I love you.”

“Mh hm. Sleep.”

“Of course.” Loki kisses him again, this time on the tip of Tony's nose. “Sleep.”

Tomorrow, Tony will tell Loki that he loves him, too. It's not really necessary, because they both know it by now, but still - they like hearing it, and they like saying it.

Tomorrow. A good plan, indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The idea of Loki putting a copy of the declaration on the wall isn't mine, credit for that one goes to Read_Like_Youre_Running_Out_of_Time (Jantique). It made me laugh, I hope you don't mind me using it. 😆


End file.
